Amani Global Works commits to decrease prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) or intestinal worms, schistosomiasis, and lymphatic filariasis (LF) through treatment of up to 100% of at-risk communities on the island of Idjwi, and educate the community and health providers on NTD treatment and prevention. The program adopts a comprehensive approach to address these NTDs through a Mass Drug Administration (MDA), a school WASH program, a bednet distribution program, and additional capacity building activities.
Community-directed MDA: This intervention will be designed and implemented to treat virtually the entire population for the three diseases prevalent on Idjwi. It will build on the community health worker (CHW) network that has been established within the North Idjwi administrative region and be expanded to cover South Idjwi as well. In total, 200 community health workers from the northern parts of Idjwi will be trained, and 300 new CHWs from the southern parts will be recruited and trained. CHWs will conduct two MDA campaigns for STH, schistosomiasis and LF every year, along with follow ups for the next three years. This network will work in teams of three to reach every household and administer the drugs using a Direct Observation of Treatment (DOT) approach. To support these campaigns, Amani will create posters, booklets and radio spots to promote for awareness and mobilization.
School WASH: Commencing in year two of the initiative, a school WASH project will be progressively rolled out to all 187 schools on the island. This project will be focused on educating students about disease transmission and is essential to preventing and controlling NTDs. These initiatives include promoting face and hand washing, the use of soap, and ensuring there are well-maintained latrines and clean water sources near the community. For this program, 81 officials (two kings, six catchment chiefs, 72 village chiefs at the territory administrator) and one representative from each of the 187 schools will be trained on NTD and WASH programs.
Sleep Safe: There is scientific evidence that the transmission of LF can be interrupted by the systematic use of bed nets. Therefore, in program year two, a behavior change campaign and bednet distribution program, led by Against Malaria Foundation, will be undertaken across all the islands villages.
Health Capacity Building: A NTD task force for Idjwi will be formed and will be responsible for the development of an annual plan, the establishment of the process for drug procurement and the request of the necessary drugs to the ministry of health. An NTD coordinator, a monitoring and evaluation director, and a fund-raising director will be hired. In addition, 106 Clinicians and 22 Laboratory technicians will also be trained on clinical and laboratory diagnosis of the three common neglected tropical diseases in Idjwi.
Amani Global Works will implement the program with technical assistance and program management support from The End Fund.
Q4 2015
-Conduct an assessment trip to Idjwi
-Conduct school mapping in Idjwi
-Conduct NTD mapping to identify sentinel sites
-Recruit 12 people for the NTD Task Force
Q1 2016
-Train Community Drug Distributors
-Train clinicians on Schistosomiasis, STH and LF
-Hold first NTD Task Force Meeting and develop the annual plan
-Hire the NTD coordinator
-Begin distributing bednets
Q2 2016
-Conduct supervision of a third of the 72 villages to ensure that villages have been treated
Q3 2016
-Hold NTD Task Force meeting
-Conduct refresher training of community drug distributors
-Conduct MDA
-Train teachers on preferred School WASH practices
-Distribute Hand Washing Kits to schools
Q4 2016
-Conduct supervision 10 schools to ensure good WASH practices
-Hold NTD Task Force meeting
Q1 2017
-Conduct supervision of sentinel sites
-Hold NTD Task Force meeting
-Conduct refresher training of community drug distributors
-Conduct MDA
-Conduct supervision 48 villages during the MDA campaign
-Conduct refresher training for teachers on preferred School WASH practices
-Conduct supervision of 40 schools for WASH practices
Q3 2017
-Conduct refresher training of community drug distributors
-Conduct MDA
Q1 2018
-Refresher training of community drug distributors
-Conduct MDA
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a priority country in global efforts to control and eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). It is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the countries with the highest NTD disease burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. As part of the efforts to address this issue, the Ministry of Health collaborated with CNTD Liverpool in 2014 to conduct a mapping exercise of the two DRC provinces: North and South Kivu. The mapping showed a 39.3% prevalence lymphatic filariasis (LF) and a 6% prevalence of schistosomiasis. NTDs occur in areas with limited access to water and sanitation, and where hygiene practices and health infrastructure are limited.
Within South Kivu is the island of Idjwi, which has approximately 250,000 inhabitants and is isolated without access to appropriate health care. Findings from mapping conducted by the End Fund in 2013 indicated that 90% of school-age children are infected with STH, and there is a 6% of prevalence of schistosomiasis and a 13% prevalence of LF.
Amani Global Works has been working on Idjwi island for five years, where it has set up a hospital and trained 200 CHWs who provide a continuum of care for patients outside of the hospitals walls. Amani works to reduce discrimination against pygmies by providing equal access to all health programs. Idjwi has never had a comprehensive NTD program.