YCNTDs Calls for the Prioritization of Efforts to #EndNTDs at the 2024 CHOGM
To the Commonwealth Secretariat and Youth Forum
On the occasion of the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Samoa this week, Youth Combating Neglected Tropical Diseases (YCNTDs), with the endorsement of the Commonwealth Youth Health Network (CYHN) and Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (Uniting), humbly reach out to request your support in the prioritization of efforts to end Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) amongst this year’s meeting resolutions.
About YCNTDs: Established in 2020, YCNTDs is a global youth-focused and led initiative, designed to mainstream the participation of young people within the NTDs community across all its activities. Our work is centered around advocacy, training, and supporting stakeholders, including those affected by and those working to eradicate and eliminate NTDs. Furthermore, YCNTDs recognize that as the largest demographic in the world, young people are also the most at risk of being affected by NTDs. As a result, we believe young people represent a key constituent within the community- one that brings energy, innovative thinking, and talent to the fight against NTDs. Today, the YCNTDs community consists of over 1 200 Champions spread across 52 countries and has been served by eight Advisory Board members.
For our 2024-2025 advocacy period which commenced in September, YCNTDs have recruited six Youth Champions from the African continent to be supported as they lead our demand generation and resource mobilization efforts to #EndNTDs. The six Champions, who come from Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, are the young leaders behind this letter and call for the prioritization of NTDs on the 2024 CHOGM agenda.
NTDs and their significance on the CHOGM agenda: NTDs are a diverse group of 21 conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they affect more than 1 billion people who live in impoverished communities. NTDs are caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins. These preventable and treatable diseases cause devastating health, social, and economic consequences to more than one billion people globally, the majority of whom are children and youth.
When looking at NTDs advocacy, the CHOGM platform holds historical significance for the YCNTDs community. In June 2022, H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, officially launched the Kigali Declaration on NTDs at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and NTDs, held alongside the 26th CHOGM. This high-level political declaration mobilizes political will, community commitment, resources and action, and secures commitments needed to end the suffering caused by NTDs. YCNTDs has supported the Kigali Declaration from its launch—leading the youth consultations on the draft declaration, calling for the recognition of young people as key stakeholders, and now advocating for further endorsements and ownership by those countries who have not yet joined. The Declaration itself has already galvanized substantial commitments from donor governments, endemic country governments, pharmaceutical companies, and NGOs. At the time of the Kigali Summit, US$1.5 billion in financial commitments and 18 billion donated tablets / units of medicine were announced. Two years later as we reach the 27th CHOGM, this figure stands at US$1.7 billion financial commitments, 19 billion donated tablets / units of medicine, and 54 countries having eliminated at least one NTD- a notable demonstration of progress.
Calling on all CHOGM delegates to support ongoing efforts to #BeatNTDs: As the CHOGM delegation meets this week to deliberate on Our Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Commonwealth, we call on our peers and the Heads of Government who will be engaging to recognize NTDs as an ongoing threat to healthy and resilient communities and make firm commitments towards addressing them. In terms of the particular actions that can be taken, YCNTDs would like to draw attention to the Kigali Declaration on NTDs Status Report: 2022-2024 presented to the outgoing Chair-in-Office and celebrating the substantial progress made over the past two years on the path to end NTDs. The report also encourages further action for NTDs by growing endorsers of the Kigali Declaration, motivating existing endorsers to sustain or increase their commitment towards NTDs year-on-year, and urging partners and leaders worldwide to advocate for innovative funding mechanisms to provide robust, predictable, and long-term financing for NTDs.
As we get closer to the 2030 target of Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals as is outlined in the WHO 2021-2030 Road Map on Neglected Tropical Diseases, we must push for the prioritization of these preventable and treatable diseases and the mobilization of resources to back this up. To that end, we ask all attending delegates to endorse the Kigali Declaration and make their contributions to #BeatNTDs.
Together, we can unite, act, and eliminate NTDs for good. So let us rise to the occasion of building the futures we hope to live in through collaborative action, a unified voice, and good faith.
With Warm Regards
Youth Combating NTDs Champions
Enquiries: champions@youthcombatingntds.org
Resources:
- The Kigali Declaration on NTDs by Uniting to Combat NTDs
- The NTDS Advocacy Toolkit by Youth Combating NTDs
WHO validates Gambia for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Gambia for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the second country in WHO’s African Region to achieve this milestone.
“This is a great step towards the 2030 goals set by the recently launched 2021–2030 road map for neglected tropical diseases,” said Dr Ren Minghui, WHO Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases. “Gambia has become the second country this year, after Côte d’Ivoire1,to eliminate a neglected tropical disease.”
Gambia’s success in eliminating trachoma is largely attributed to strong collaboration with partner organizations to implement WHO’s SAFE strategy.2
“This is a remarkable achievement that has saved children, mothers and families from preventable visual impairment or blindness, and improved their quality of life and well-being,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “It is also a clear sign that we can achieve significant milestones through dedicated efforts in tackling health challenges in the region.”
At the heart of the efforts against trachoma are Gambian community volunteers, who have played a crucial role in mobilizing communities and promoting behaviour change.
A 2018–2019 survey on trachomatous trichiasis (the advanced, blinding stage of trachoma) in Gambia found that the prevalence of this condition among people aged 15 years and above ranged from 0% to 0.02% – well under the threshold required for elimination of trachoma as a public health problem3. This is a huge achievement compared to the mid-1980s, when a national survey estimated that trachoma was responsible for almost 1 out of 5 cases of blindness, countrywide.
Trachoma is a neglected tropical eye disease. Infection mainly affects children, becoming less common with increasing age. The long-term consequences of infection develop years or even decades later. In adults, women are up to 4 times more likely than men to be affected by the blinding complications of trachoma, mainly due to their close contact with infected children.
Gambia and WHO will continue to closely monitor previously endemic populations to ensure there is a rapid, proportionate response to any resurgence of the disease.
Disease prevalence
Despite Gambia’s success, trachoma remains endemic in 27 countries in WHO’s African Region, and 29 countries on the African continent overall. Progress against neglected tropical diseases has alleviated the human and economic burden they impose on the world’s most disadvantaged communities. The 2021–2030 road map for neglected tropical diseases seeks to prevent, control, eliminate or eradicate 20 diseases by 2030.
Globally, trachoma remains a public health problem in 45 countries, with an estimated 137 million people living in areas endemic for the disease. Significant progress has been made over the past few years – the number of people requiring antibiotic treatment for trachoma elimination in the African Region fell by 72 million from 189 million in 2014 to 117 million in 2020.
The disease
Trachoma is a devastating eye disease caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The infection spreads from person to person through contaminated fingers, fomites and flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.
Environmental risk factors for trachoma transmission include poor hygiene, overcrowded households, inadequate access to water, and inadequate access to, or use of, proper sanitation facilities.
Repeated infections in childhood lead to scarring of the inner side of the upper eyelids, resulting in inward turning of the eyelid margin, with the lashes touching the globe. This is a painful condition known as trachomatous trichiasis – if left untreated, this condition can result in visual impairment and blindness.
GET2020
In 1996, WHO launched the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020 (GET2020). With other partners in the Alliance, WHO supports country implementation of the SAFE strategy and the strengthening of national capacity through epidemiological assessment, monitoring, surveillance, project evaluation and resource mobilization.
Elimination of trachoma is inexpensive, simple and extremely cost-effective, yielding a high rate of net economic return.
--------------------------------------------
1WHO validates Cote d’Ivoire for eliminating sleeping sickness as a public health problem
2The SAFE strategy consists of:
Surgery to treat the blinding stage (trachomatous trichiasis); Antibiotics to clear the infection, particularly mass drug administration of the antibiotic azithromycin, which is donated by the manufacturer, Pfizer, to elimination programmes, through the International Trachoma Initiative; Facial cleanliness; and Environmental improvement, particularly improving access to water and sanitation.
3Elimination of trachoma as a public health problem is defined as:
- (i) a prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis “unknown to the health system” of <0.2% in adults aged ≥15 years (approximately 1 case per 1000 total population);
- (ii) a prevalence of trachomatous inflammation—follicular in children aged 1–9 years of <5%, sustained for at least 2 years in the absence of ongoing antibiotic mass treatment, in each formerly endemic district; and
- (iii) the existence of a system able to identify and manage incident trachomatous trichiasis cases, using defined strategies, with evidence of appropriate financial resources to implement those strategies.
Image credit:
Gambia Eye Health Programme
A Gambian mother getting checked for Trachoma. Trachoma is a neglected tropical eye disease. Infection mainly affects children, becoming less common with increasing age.
COVID-19: Young Nigerian Campaigner Urges World Leaders Not To Forget Neglected Tropical Diseases
By: JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Kikiope Oluwarore, from Abuja, Nigeria has been selected as one of just 13 young health advocates from across the globe forming the first-ever advisory board at a new youth-led organization to fight Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Originally from Ibadan, the 33-year-old activist joins an impressive line-up of young talent which includes a scientist from the Gambia, an anthropologist from the Philippines and an entrepreneur from Tanzania on the board at Youth Combating NTDs. One of the first orders of business for Kikiope was to add her voice to that of the World Health Organization (WHO), government officials and a variety of NGOs as they call on world leaders not to forget the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) – which affect one in five people on the planet.
Kikiope joined a virtual global summit organised by Uniting to Combat NTDs which is aiming to keep NTDs on the health agenda as world leaders and policymakers tackle COVID. Kikiope is a public health professional, writer and founder of One Health and Development Initiative (OHDI). She has a DVM degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria; and as a Commonwealth Scholar, she completed her MSc degree in Global Health and Infectious Diseases from the University of Edinburgh. She says: “Nigeria needs to step up its efforts against NTDs. I believe that young people could be a driving force to help escalate that.”
Youth Combating NTDs founder Gerald Chirinda is delighted Kikiope has been appointed to the board. He said, “As the largest demographic in the world, young people are also the largest at risk of being affected by NTDs. Young people represent a key constituent within the community, one that brings energy, innovative thinking and talent. Kikiope has demonstrated passion and focus in her social work to date. She brings determination, knowledge and a clear vision of what she would like to achieve.”
Nigeria is one of 32 countries that have successfully eliminated an NTD since the London Declaration on NTDs was signed in 2012. It was triumphant in eliminating guinea-worm which in 1988 affected more than 650,000 Nigerians. Now the disease has been stopped in its tracks. Kikiope hopes similar progress can be made in the fight against other diseases.
Gerald continued, “Our mission is to build an effective global community of youth like Kikiope in Nigeria who are fighting NTDs, by equipping and strengthening young advocates and leaders with the resources that amplify their voices and influence in innovating and shaping policies that will end NTDs in their communities.
“Millennials can help to end Neglected Tropical Diseases and Kikiope will help us to spread that message.
“We are asking people to join the global pledge at #EndTheNegect”
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of debilitating infectious diseases that affect over 1.7 billion people around the world. They disable, disfigure and sometimes kill.
Youth Combating NTDs is a global community made up of young people who are involved in the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
This youth-focused and led initiative is designed to mainstream the participation of young people within the NTD community across all its activities. Youth Combating NTDs is an initiative of Uniting to Combat NTDs and Future Africa Forum.
The full advisory board line-up
- Noella Bigirimana (Chair) – Rwanda
- Matt Hughsam – Canada
- Dr. Neneh Sallah – Gambia
- Enow Awah Georges Stevens – Cameroon
- Dr. Kikiope Oluwarore – Nigeria
- Nilesh Jambhekar – India
- Jona Claire Turalde – Phillipines
- Dr. Joachim Mabula – Tanzania
- Shomy Hasan Chowdhury – Bangladesh
- Geoffrey Otieno – Kenya
- Lucy Fagan – United Kingdom
- Alistair Shingirai Mukondiwa – Zimbabwe
- Mary-Jean Nleya – Botswana