MDP News & Resources Archive – Page 3 of 15

Series “For As Long As It’s Needed” Video 5: Current Statistics

Fifth and final in a series of five documentary videos exploring the history and impact of the Mectizan Donation Program.

Measuring up to a billion treatments: Sightsavers and partners have reached a historic milestone in the fight against neglected tropical diseases

12 April 2018

Enjoy this article on the billionth treatment for river blindness and lymphatic filariasis provided by Sightsavers and partners.

Faces of River Blindness: Kisanchi Village. Carter Center Slideshow

23 March 2018

The Carter Center and partners are working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health to eliminate river blindness in nine of the country’s states, including Plateau, where Kisanchi is located.

Cross-border issues: an important component of onchocerciasis elimination programmes

Article on the importance of cross-border issues in onchocerciasis elimination programmes. Bush, Sodahlon, Downs and Mackenzie, International Health, Volume 10, Issue suppl_1, 1 March 2018, Pages i54–i59.

Scientific Publication

Alternative treatment strategies to accelerate the elimination of onchocerciasis

Article on the use of alternative (or complementary) treatment strategies (ATSs) to accelerate the elimination of onchocerciasis. Boussinesq et al., International Health, Volume 10, Issue suppl_1, 1 March 2018, Pages i40–i48.

Scientific Publication

After 70 years of fighting an age-old scourge, onchocerciasis in Uganda, the end is in sight

Article on eliminating onchocercias as a public health problem in Uganda. Katabarwa et al, International Health, Volume 10, Issue suppl_1, 1 March 2018, Pages i79–i88.

Scientific Publication

Diagnostics for onchocerciasis in the era of elimination

A review summarizing the progress made in identifying diagnostics that meet the specialized requirements needed to verify onchocerciasis elimination, as well as a discussion of why these tests were selected and a summary of the needs that still exist to complete the arsenal of diagnostic tools that will be useful as the goal of elimination is achieved.

Scientific Publication

Establishing quality assured (QA) laboratory support for onchocerciasis elimination in Africa

Article on the acquisition of quality-assured (QA) data that ultimately define the absence of infection or transmission of onchocerciasis in previously endemic areas in Africa.

Scientific Publication

For as Long as Necessary: Examining 30 years of MSD’s Focus on Achieving Elimination of Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis

This article provides an overview of the three decades of dedicated effort Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A.*has put into its donation of Mectizan to assist in achieving the elimination of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis.

Scientific Publication

Onchocerciasis in Yemen: moving forward towards an elimination program

This publication reviews the history of the efforts to control onchocerciasis in Yemen and the current status of the disease, and identifies the essential changes needed to a mass drug administration (MDA) approach as the national program addresses elimination.

Scientific Publication

Onchocerciasis in Yemen: moving forward towards an elimination program

The history of the control efforts and the current status of the disease are reviewed and the essential changes needed to a mass drug administration (MDA) approach are identified as the national program addresses elimination.

Scientific Publication

Onchocerciasis: shifting the target from control to elimination requires a new first-step—elimination mapping

Journal article discussing the concept that all areas where the worm that causes onchocerciasis might currently be transmitted—and where mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin treatment has not been delivered previously—must now be identified by careful, detailed “elimination mapping”.

Scientific Publication

Onchocerciasis: the beginning of the end

The purpose of this publication is to provide proof of concept that, through a strong partnership between Merck’s donation of Mectizan, the endemic countries and donors, we can eliminate onchocerciasis, a scourge that was once classified as a disease that could only be controlled.

Scientific Publication

Operationalization of the test and not treat strategy to accelerate the elimination of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis in Central Africa

Article discussing reducing the cost of the test and not treat (TaNT) strategy with a smaller team (three people) selected within affected communities.

Scientific Publication

Progress toward elimination of onchocerciasis in the Americas

This article addresses elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in the Americas. With four of the six originally endemic American countries now WHO verified as having eliminated onchocerciasis transmission, and 95% of ivermectin treatments in the region halted, the regional focus is now on the remaining active transmission zone, called the Yanomami Area, on the border between Venezuela and Brazil.

Scientific Publication

Refocusing vector assessment towards the elimination of onchocerciasis from Africa: a review of the current status in selected countries

Report regarding the status of onchocerciasis transmission in black flies as assessed in five countries in Africa. International Health, Volume 10, Issue suppl_1, 1 March 2018, Pages i27–i32.

Scientific Publication

The role of national committees in eliminating onchocerciasis

Article covering the role national onchocerciasis elimination committees (NOECs) play in helping ministries of health complete the pathway to successful verification of elimination of onchocerciasis (river blindness), as outlined in the 2016 World Health Organization guidelines.

Scientific Publication

The role of the NGDO Coordination Group for the Elimination of Onchocerciasis

This article covers the role of the NGDO Coordination Group for the Control of Onchocerciasis. The Group was launched in 1992, and with the paradigm shift from control of disease to elimination of onchocerciasis transmission, the Group shifted its orientation to that new paradigm in 2013.