For just 50 cents SCI can reach, treat and protect a child against 4 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) for a year. Efforts across Africa to aid nutrition, education, health and economic productivity will only be successful when combined with treatment for NTDs. Controlling and eliminating NTDs is critical to ending extreme poverty. The drugs needed to control NTDs are donated by pharmaceutical companies, we just need the funds to deliver the tablets to the 200 million people who need them.
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are the most common diseases amongst the world's poorest people. Approximately a billion people; almost one in six people globally, suffer from these diseases. Ironically, most people have never heard of diseases like elephantiasis, river blindness, schistosomiasis, trachoma, roundworm, whipworm or hookworm. Without treatment, NTDs lead to lifelong disabilities and suffering. Controlling and eliminating NTDs is critical to ending extreme poverty.
The drugs needed to control schistosomiasis, roundworm, whipworm and hookworm are donated by pharmaceutical companies, making these programmes one of the most cost-effective health interventions available. SCI's work ensures that the treatments are delivered to the communities that need them, that they are distributed in an effective way, and that the impact of the drugs are monitored.
Symptoms of the disease are blood loss, anaemia and malnutrition in children, with the longer term consequences of an untreated infection being irreversible damage to the liver, spleen and bladder cancer. In addition, because the parasites affect the urogenital system they predispose women and girls to becoming infected with HIV. Treating NTDs is necessary to ensure that efforts to aid nutrition, education, health and economic productivity are successful.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
