WORKING TOWARD A WORLD FREE OF NTDS
ABOUT THE PROJECT
IMA was an implementing partner in the ENVISION project from 2011 to 2019. RTI International led the eight-year effort aimed at providing assistance to national programs for neglected tropical diseases.
The program targeted five neglected tropical diseases: lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and three soil-transmitted helminths (roundworm, hookworm and whipworm).
IMA World Health implemented ENVISION programming in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Tanzania.
HAITI
USAID | 2011–2019
As the lead implementing partner for ENVISION in Haiti, IMA worked alongside the Haiti Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program, a joint effort between the Ministry of Health and Population (MSPP), the Ministry of Education and other partners. With funding from USAID and leadership from RTI International, IMA helped the government to provide mass drug administration (MDA) through community posts and schools across Haiti’s 10 departments to treat LF and STH.
IMA trained approximately 34,000 community leaders, promoters and distributors to educate the population about LF and STH, persuade the highest number of households possible to participate in MDA and conduct MDA. In Haiti, IMA led the scale-up of nationwide treatment and treated nearly 6 million people annually for LF and STH. Following guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), IMA and its partners also conducted transmission assessment surveys (TAS) in communes which have had at least five consecutive MDAs at high coverage and a prevalence of MF <1% or Ag <2% in sentinel and spot-check sites. Of the 140 communes in Haiti, 118 communes are now under surveillance with 22 communes still undergoing MDA.
TANZANIA
USAID | 2012–2016
With funding from USAID through RTI International, IMA collaborates with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to eliminate and control five NTDs endemic in Tanzania, including onchocerciasis (river blindness), lymphatic filariasis (LF), schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and trachoma. IMA currently coordinates mass drug administration (MDA) in 19 regions and 134 districts throughout Tanzania, training more than 11,414 front line health workers, 27,087 teachers and 90,284 community drug distributors to support treatment for over 20 million individuals annually. Supporting the World Health Organization’s global control and elimination goals, IMA with the Tanzania NTD Control Program has carried out MDA, disease specific assessments (DSAs) and other interventions in all NTD-endemic districts across mainland Tanzania.
As of October 2018, Tanzania has been able to stop MDA for LF in 96 of the 120 endemic districts, which amounts to 21.4 million people—69 percent of those living in endemic areas—who are no longer at risk for LF. Additionally, as of June 2018, Tanzania has been able stop trachoma MDA in 59 of 71 endemic districts, which means 14.8 million people—86 percent of those who were living in endemic areas—are no longer at risk for trachoma.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
$791,547 | USAID | 2015–2019
The ENVISION project, funded by USAID and led by RTI International, aims for the control and elimination of five neglected tropical diseases in the DRC: LF, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, STH and trachoma. As an implementing partner, IMA conducted annual MDA of three medications among more than 500,000 people in six zones in northern Maniema Province in 2015-2016 and in three zones in 2017, with the goal of treating 80 percent of the population for LF, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and STH. In keeping with USAID’s updated strategy for DRC, in 2018 IMA began conducting rapid assessments and mapping surveys to determine the extent of trachoma in suspected regions of the country. To date, mapping has been completed in Ituri and Bas Ulele provinces, and rapid assessments have been completed in Equateur, Mbandaka, Tshopo and Maindombe provinces to determine if mapping is needed.