Addis Ababa. 14 December 2014 – Represented African countries and development partners agree to step-up action to ensure elimination goals of lymphatic filariasis (also known as elephantiasis) by 2020 and ohchocerciasis (also known as river blindness) by 2025, and the control and eventual elimination of other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). 

The week that just ended saw milestone meetings on neglected tropical diseases held at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 20th Session of the Joint Action Forum (JAF) of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC), the Eight Session of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) and the First Meeting of the Soil-Transmitted Helminth (STH) Coalition with the Global Schistosomiasis Alliance (GSA) that were in session on 8-12 December 2014 ended with important decisions and commitments. 

Twenty-four African countries, including Ethiopia, entered The Addis Ababa NTD Commitment to work to increase domestic contribution to the implementation of NTD programs, promote a mult-sectoral approach to the implementation of NTD programs, ensure the adoption of both long-range strategic and annual implementation plans towards the achievement of global targets, report and use program data in a timely fashion for progress tracking and to inform program planning and execution, and ensure that the implementation of NTD programs contribute to the strengthening of the overall health system and vise-versa. The Commitment was read by Dr Abdissa Kurkie, Director of Disease Prevention and Control, Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia, on behalf of Hon Dr Kesetebirhan Admasu, Minister of Health and JAF20 Chairperson. 

As it closed on 10 December, JAF20 passed important decisions. It approved the roadmap towards the establishment of PENDA, and also defined PENDA’s bigger and long-term vision that includes all PC-NTDs (preventive-chemotherapy NTDs).

As the 8th Session of GAELF closed on 11 December 2014, it recognized that GAELF has made tremendous progress in the last 15 years in the fight against lymphatic filariasis. It, however, noted that Africa is still lagging a little bit behind, and that Africa can catch up but only by not doing 'business as usual'. There are useful tools for research, and African countries need to apply these research tools, and also apply research into their national plans. GAELF further concluded that the 2020 goals are possible if all concerned apply new strategies and step-up actions. 

As the STH Coalition and Global Schistosomiasis Alliance joint meeting that focused on seeking new opportunities for STH and schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) control through enhanced partnership closed on 12 December, bringing the week’s activities to an end, it resonated with messages on the power of partnership – partnership between governments, the international community, regional bodies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector; and the importance of integration – integration between actions for different NTDs, and integration between sectors – in order to achieve the global goals of the elimination of NTDs. It also called on the need to bend the curve of history and accelerate towards the WHO goals of the elimination of NTDs.

As had been called on at the beginning of the JAF20 week, by Hon Dr Kesetebirhan Admasu, Minister of Health of Ethiopia and Chair of JAF20, integration, coordination, scaling up and delivering on commitments are key to achieving the goals of the elimination of NTDs as per set targets.

For more information, please contact

Dr Chris Ngenda Mwikisa
Manager, Corporate Services
APOC
mwikisac [at] who.int

Loza Mesfin Tesfaye
Communication Officer
WHO Ethiopia 
Email: tesfayel [at] who.int

Photo: WHO Ethiopia/ Loza Mesfin