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Towards effective prevention and control of helminth neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region through multi-disease and multi-sectoral interventions.
Journal article

Towards effective prevention and control of helminth neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region through multi-disease and multi-sectoral interventions.

  • Nakagawa J World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Division of Combating Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 2932, 1000 Manila, Philippines.
  • Ehrenberg JP World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Division of Combating Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 2932, 1000 Manila, Philippines.
  • Nealon J World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Division of Combating Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 2932, 1000 Manila, Philippines.
  • Fürst T Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Aratchige P World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Division of Combating Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 2932, 1000 Manila, Philippines.
  • Gonzales G World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Division of Combating Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 2932, 1000 Manila, Philippines.
  • Chanthavisouk C World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Division of Combating Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 2932, 1000 Manila, Philippines.
  • Hernandez LM Infectious Disease Office, National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, 1000 Manila, Philippines.
  • Fengthong T Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 1232, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic.
  • Utzinger J Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Steinmann P Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: peter.steinmann@unibas.ch.
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  • 2013-06-25
Published in:
  • Acta tropica. - 2015
Control
Helminth infection
Multi-disease
Multi-sectoral
Neglected tropical diseases
Prevention
Agriculture
Animals
Asia, Southeastern
Australasia
China
Communicable Disease Control
Conflict of Interest
Cooperative Behavior
Health Care Sector
Helminthiasis
Helminths
Humans
Mongolia
Neglected Diseases
Public Sector
Tropical Medicine
World Health Organization
English Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause serious health, social and economic burdens in the countries of the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region. Among the NTDs, helminth infections are particularly prominent with regard to the number of infected individuals and health impact. Co-endemicity is common among impoverished and marginalized populations. To achieve effective and sustainable control of helminth NTDs, a deeper understanding of the social-ecological systems governing their endemicity and strategies beyond preventive chemotherapy are required to tackle the multiple causes of infection and re-infection. We discuss the feasibility of implementing multi-disease, multi-sectoral intervention packages for helminth NTDs in the Western Pacific Region. After reviewing the main determinants for helminth NTD endemicity and current control strategies, key control activities that involve or concern other programmes within and beyond the health sector are discussed. A considerable number of activities that have an impact on more than one helminth NTD are identified in a variety of sectors, suggesting an untapped potential for synergies. We also highlight the challenges of multi-sectoral collaboration, particularly of involving non-health sectors. We conclude that multi-sectoral collaboration for helminth NTD control is feasible if the target diseases and sectors are carefully selected. To do so, an incentive analysis covering key stakeholders in the sectors is crucial, and the disease-control strategies need to be well understood. The benefits of multi-disease, multi-sectoral approaches could go beyond immediate health impacts by contributing to sustainable development, raising educational attainment, increasing productivity and reducing health inequities.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/298959
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