International Conference on NTD Research in Africa
The Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (COR-NTD) and the African Research Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ARNTD), are hosting the second International Conference on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Research (InCORNTD) in Africa on January 20-22, 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda.
This second meeting aims to bring together key stakeholders to address how to eliminate NTDs from the region through operational and carefully focused research. The objectives of this meeting are two-fold: 1) to inform the NTD community about new research results and 2) to prioritize remaining operational research questions, the list of which will be shared with donors for funding consideration. Topics during the meeting will include but are not limited to: schistosomiasis diagnostics, monitoring and elimination guidelines, new tools and approaches for onchocerciasis elimination, skin NTD integration, last mile of trachoma elimination, harmonizing geostatistical tools and artificial intelligence for NTDs and integrated xenomonitoring for lymphatic filariasis.
Technical Symposium | Health systems integration for schistosomiasis and NTDs
The GSA and partners are excited to present a plenary on Day 1 of the InCORNTD, highlighting and exploring how to move from siloed, vertical programmes to integrated, evidence-based, sustainable health campaigns and share two case studies, one in Uganda and one in Rwanda.
Chairs: David Rollinson and Fiona Fleming
What factors drive success of integration?
- Talk 1 | Health Campaigns Effectiveness coalition - changing a fragmented health campaign ecosystem - Teshome Gebre, TaskForce for Global Health.
- Broader global health context
- Ensure lessons learned from outside the NTD sector
Understanding these factors, what processes need to be developed to successfully integrate NTD services into existing delivery platforms.
- Talk 2 | Codelivery of schistosomiasis with Child Health Day campaign in Uganda - Prudence Beinamaryo, Uganda MoH
- Framing of the issue.
- Identifying alternative platform.
- Identifying and advocating to key stakeholders
- Talk 3 | Coordinating NTDs with malaria and Child Health Weeks in Rwanda - Dr Aimable Mbituyumuremyi, MoH & RBC Rwanda
- NTD and malaria coordinated planning and financing.
- Integration of treatment as part of Child Health Weeks
How can the impact of integrated approaches be monitored to ensure progress to global goals is being captured?
- Talk 4 | Measuring metrics of integrated approaches - Uganda research in progress - Carlos Torres Vitolas, Unlimit Health
- Overview on approaches to testing the effectiveness of the co-delivery of PZQ – an example in Uganda.
- Other metrics and then these would be components that could used in an broader M&E framework
What are partners’ perspectives on integrated approaches?
- Talk 5 | A partner’s perspective on integrated, codelivery campaigns - Julia Battle, Chief of Health and Nutrition UNICEF Rwanda Country Office
- What do partners, funders and large-scale agencies think of integrated, co-delivery approaches?
- What aspects appeal to partners?
- What can be done to support these approaches?
Breakout Session | Rethinking MDA campaigns: Leveraging integrated health campaigns for improved effectiveness and impact
The rapidly evolving global health funding landscape has significantly reduced resources available for schistosomiasis control and PC-NTD mass drug administration campaigns. As a result, countries are often forced to prioritize which vertical disease campaigns or monitoring and evaluation surveys to implement, frequently pausing or abandoning activities until new funding can be secured. This jeopardizes the success and impact of these programmes.
In response to these challenges, public health programmes are exploring alternative approaches to delivering health campaigns and optimizing available resources. In this breakout session, the GSA and partners will examine different models for delivering preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis and other NTDs, leveraging existing health platforms. The discussion will emphasize country-driven approaches and national ownership. It will also explore the possibility of translating a potential crisis into an opportunity to improve sustainability and improve health services.
The session on Day 2 of InCORNTD will include group activities aimed at identifying factors that contribute to the success or failure of integration strategies and exploring the metrics and monitoring processes required to track progress on health deliverables. The ultimate objective is to pinpoint the critical implementation and operational research questions needed to strengthen SCH, STH, and NTD integration and coordination with national and subnational health campaigns. This will help identify areas for improvement, enhance programme impact, and ensure effective progress tracking of health outcomes.
Speaker 1 - Introduction to Rethinking MDA campaigns: Leveraging integrated health campaigns for improved effectiveness and impact. Anouk Gouvras, Global Schistosomiasis Alliance
Speaker 2 - A Paradigm shift from parallel, top-down, vertical disease control programmes to integrated, locally relevant, evidence-based and sustainable health campaigns. Example of helminth treatments with malaria chemoprevention in West Africa - Dr Muhammed Afolabi, London School Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Group activity 1: What do we know about integrated codelivery approaches
Speaker 3 - Integrating NTD processes into national electronic community health system (eCHIS) and Ministry of Health Integrated Campaign Delivery (ICD) platform - Florence Wakesho, MoH Kenya
- Group activity 2: What are the metrics for evaluating integrated co-delivery progress in health programs?
Speaker 4 - Approaching integration and codelivery using a sustainability lens - Wendy Harrison, Unlimit Health
- Group activity 3: What do we need to strengthen integration and codelivery for sustainable public health interventions?
Identifying the operational and implementation research questions
- Session Close -