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Godwin-Akpan TG, Diaconu K, Edmiston M, Smith JS, Sosu F, Weiland S, Kollie KK. Assessing the cost-effectiveness of integrated case management of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Liberia. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:705. [PMID: 37386431 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09685-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2017, Liberia became one of the first countries in the African region to develop and implement a national strategy for integrated case management of Neglected Tropical Diseases (CM-NTDs), specifically Buruli ulcer, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis morbidities, and yaws. Implementing this plan moves the NTD program from many countries' fragmented (vertical) disease management. This study explores to what extent an integrated approach offers a cost-effective investment for national health systems. METHODS This study is a mixed-method economic evaluation that explores the cost-effectiveness of the integrated CM-NTDs approach compared to the fragmented (vertical) disease management. Primary data were collected from two integrated intervention counties and two non-intervention counties to determine the relative cost-effectiveness of the integrated program model vs. fragmented (vertical) care. Data was sourced from the NTDs program annual budgets and financial reports for integrated CM-NTDs and Mass Drug Administration (MDA) to determine cost drivers and effectiveness. RESULTS The total cost incurred by the integrated CM-NTD approach from 2017 to 2019 was US$ 789,856.30, with the highest percentage of costs for program staffing and motivation (41.8%), followed by operating costs (24.8%). In the two counties implementing fragmented (vertical) disease management, approximately US$ 325,000 was spent on the diagnosis of 84 persons and the treatment of twenty-four persons suffering from NTDs. While 2.5 times as much was spent in integrated counties, 9-10 times more patients were diagnosed and treated. CONCLUSIONS The cost of a patient being diagnosed under the fragmented (vertical) implementation is five times higher than integrated CM-NTDs, and providing treatment is ten times as costly. Findings indicate that the integrated CM-NTDs strategy has achieved its primary objective of improved access to NTD services. The success of implementing an integrated CM-NTDs approach in Liberia, presented in this paper, demonstrates that NTD integration is a cost-minimizing solution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karin Diaconu
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, EH21 6UU, Scotland
| | | | - John Solunta Smith
- Capitol Bye-Pass, University of Liberia - Atlantic Centre for Research and Evaluation, University of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
| | - Fred Sosu
- Capitol Bye-Pass, University of Liberia - Atlantic Centre for Research and Evaluation, University of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
| | | | - Karsor K Kollie
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Program, Ministry of Health, Oldest Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia
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Dean L, Theobald S, Nallo G, Bettee A, Kollie K, Tolhurst R. A syndemic born of war: Combining intersectionality and structural violence to explore the biosocial interactions of neglected tropical diseases, disability and mental distress in Liberia. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000551. [PMID: 36962440 PMCID: PMC10021464 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The intersections between NTDs, disability, and mental ill-health are increasingly recognised globally. Chronic morbidity resultant from many NTDs, particularly those affecting the skin-including lymphatic filariasis (LF), leprosy, Buruli ulcer (BU) and onchocerciasis-is well known and largely documented from a medicalised perspective. However less is known about the complex biosocial interaction shaping interconnected morbidities. We apply syndemic theory to explain the biosocial relationship between NTDs and mental distress in the context of structural violence in Liberia. By advancing syndemic theory to include intersectional thought, it is apparent that structural violence becomes embodied in different ways through interacting multi-level (macro, meso and micro) processes. Through the use of in-depth qualitative methods, we explore the syndemic interaction of NTDs and mental distress from the vantage point of the most vulnerable and suggest that: 1) the post-conflict environment in Liberia predisposes people to the chronic effects of NTDs as well as other 'generalised stressors' as a consequence of ongoing structural violence; 2) people affected by NTDs are additionally exposed to stigma and discrimination that cause additional stressors and synergistically produce negative health outcomes in relation to NTDs and mental distress; and 3) the impact and experience of consequential syndemic suffering is shaped by intersecting axes of inequity such as gender and generation which are themselves created by unequal power distribution across multiple systems levels. Bringing together health systems discourse, which is focused on service integration and centred around disease control, with syndemic discourse that considers the biosocial context of disease interaction offers new approaches. We suggest that taking a syndemic-informed approach to care in the development of people-centred health systems is key to alleviating the burden of syndemic suffering associated with NTDs and mental distress currently experienced by vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Dean
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Sally Theobald
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Gartee Nallo
- University of Liberia Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Monrovia, Monsterrado, Liberia
| | - Anthony Bettee
- Neglected Tropical Disease Programme, Ministry of Health, Government of Liberia, Monrovia, Monsterrado, Liberia
| | - Karsor Kollie
- Neglected Tropical Disease Programme, Ministry of Health, Government of Liberia, Monrovia, Monsterrado, Liberia
| | - Rachel Tolhurst
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Palmer JJ, Jones C, Surur EI, Kelly AH. Understanding the Role of the Diagnostic 'Reflex' in the Elimination of Human African Trypanosomiasis. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:tropicalmed5020052. [PMID: 32244778 PMCID: PMC7345297 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5020052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
To successfully eliminate human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), healthcare workers (HCWs) must maintain their diagnostic acuity to identify cases as the disease becomes rarer. HAT experts refer to this concept as a ‘reflex’ which incorporates the idea that diagnostic expertise, particularly skills involved in recognising which patients should be tested, comes from embodied knowledge, accrued through practice. We investigated diagnostic pathways in the detection of 32 symptomatic HAT patients in South Sudan and found that this ‘reflex’ was not confined to HCWs. Indeed, lay people suggested patients test for HAT in more than half of cases using similar practices to HCWs, highlighting the importance of the expertise present in disease-affected communities. Three typologies of diagnostic practice characterised patients’ detection: ‘syndromic suspicion’, which closely resembled the idea of an expert diagnostic reflex, as well as ‘pragmatic testing’ and ‘serendipitous detection’, which depended on diagnostic expertise embedded in hospital and lay social structures when HAT-specific suspicion was ambivalent or even absent. As we approach elimination, health systems should embrace both expert and non-expert forms of diagnostic practice that can lead to detection. Supporting multidimensional access to HAT tests will be vital for HCWs and lay people to practice diagnosis and develop their expertise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J. Palmer
- Department of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 15–17 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UK
- Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh, 15a George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Caroline Jones
- Kemri-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, P.O. Box 230, Kilifi 80108, Kenya;
| | | | - Ann H. Kelly
- Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King’s College London, 30 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BG, UK;
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Prochazka M, Timothy J, Pullan R, Kollie K, Rogers E, Wright A, Palmer J. "Buruli ulcer and leprosy, they are intertwined": Patient experiences of integrated case management of skin neglected tropical diseases in Liberia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008030. [PMID: 32023242 PMCID: PMC7001903 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Skin neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) such as Buruli ulcer (BU) and leprosy produce significant stigma and disability. Shared clinical presentations and needs for care present opportunities for integrated case management in co-endemic areas. As global policies are translated into local integrated services, there remains a need to monitor what new configurations of care emerge and how individuals experience them. METHODS To explore patient experiences of integrated case management for skin NTDs, in 2018, we conducted a field-based qualitative case series in a leprosy rehabilitation centre in Ganta, Liberia where BU services were recently introduced. Twenty patients with BU (n = 10) and leprosy (n = 10) participated in in-depth interviews that incorporated photography methods. We contextualised our findings with field observations and unstructured interviews with health workers. FINDINGS The integration of care for BU and leprosy prompted new conceptualisations of these diseases and experiences of NTD stigma. Some patients felt anxiety about using services because they feared being infected with the other disease. Other patients viewed the two diseases as 'intertwined': related manifestations of the same condition. Configurations of inter-disease stigma due to fear of transmission were buffered by joint health education sessions which also appeared to facilitate social support between patients in the facility. For both diseases, medication and wound care were viewed as the cornerstones of care and appreciated as interventions that led to rehabilitation of the whole patient group through shared experiences of healing, avoidance of physical deformities and stigma reduction. Patient accounts of intense pain during wound care for BU and inability of staff to manage severe complications, however, exposed some shortcomings of medical care for the newly integrated service, as did patient fears of long-lasting disability due to lack of physiotherapy services. SIGNIFICANCE Under integrated care policies, the possibility of new discourses about skin NTD identities emerging along with new configurations of stigma may have unanticipated consequences for patients' experiences of case management. The social experience of integrated medication and wound dressing has the potential to link patients within a single, supportive patient community. Control programmes with resource constraints should anticipate potential challenges of integrating care, including the need to ameliorate lasting disability and provide adequate clinical management of severe BU cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateo Prochazka
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Timothy
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Pullan
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Karsor Kollie
- Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Monrovia, Liberia
| | - Emerson Rogers
- Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Monrovia, Liberia
| | - Abednego Wright
- Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Monrovia, Liberia
| | - Jennifer Palmer
- Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Hay R, Denning DW, Bonifaz A, Queiroz-Telles F, Beer K, Bustamante B, Chakrabarti A, Chavez-Lopez MDG, Chiller T, Cornet M, Estrada R, Estrada-Chavez G, Fahal A, Gomez BL, Li R, Mahabeer Y, Mosam A, Soavina Ramarozatovo L, Rakoto Andrianarivelo M, Rapelanoro Rabenja F, van de Sande W, Zijlstra EE. The Diagnosis of Fungal Neglected Tropical Diseases (Fungal NTDs) and the Role of Investigation and Laboratory Tests: An Expert Consensus Report. Trop Med Infect Dis 2019; 4:E122. [PMID: 31554262 PMCID: PMC6958312 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed4040122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of fungal Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) is primarily based on initial visual recognition of a suspected case followed by confirmatory laboratory testing, which is often limited to specialized facilities. Although molecular and serodiagnostic tools have advanced, a substantial gap remains between the desirable and the practical in endemic settings. To explore this issue further, we conducted a survey of subject matter experts on the optimal diagnostic methods sufficient to initiate treatment in well-equipped versus basic healthcare settings, as well as optimal sampling methods, for three fungal NTDs: mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis, and sporotrichosis. A survey of 23 centres found consensus on the key role of semi-invasive sampling methods such as biopsy diagnosis as compared with swabs or impression smears, and on the importance of histopathology, direct microscopy, and culture for mycetoma and chromoblastomycosis confirmation in well-equipped laboratories. In basic healthcare settings, direct microscopy combined with clinical signs were reported to be the most useful diagnostic indicators to prompt referral for treatment. The survey identified that the diagnosis of sporotrichosis is the most problematic with poor sensitivity across the most widely available laboratory tests except fungal culture, highlighting the need to improve mycological diagnostic capacity and to develop innovative diagnostic solutions. Fungal microscopy and culture are now recognized as WHO essential diagnostic tests and better training in their application will help improve the situation. For mycetoma and sporotrichosis, in particular, advances in identifying specific marker antigens or genomic sequences may pave the way for new laboratory-based or point-of-care tests, although this is a formidable task given the large number of different organisms that can cause fungal NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roderick Hay
- The International Foundation for Dermatology, London W1T 5HQ, UK.
| | - David W Denning
- The Global Fund for Fungal Infections, 1208 Geneva, Switzerland, and the University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Alexandro Bonifaz
- Hospital General de México, "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga", CP 06720, Mexico.
| | - Flavio Queiroz-Telles
- Department of Public Health, Hospital de Clinicas, Federal University of Parana, 80060-900 Curriba, Parana, Brazil.
| | - Karlyn Beer
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Beatriz Bustamante
- Tropical Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Dermatology Department at the Hospital Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru.
| | | | | | - Tom Chiller
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Muriel Cornet
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, Grenoble INP, CHU Grenoble Alpes, F-38000, France.
| | - Roberto Estrada
- Community Dermatology Mexico C.A., Acapulco 39850, Guerrero, Mexico.
| | | | - Ahmed Fahal
- The Mycetoma Research Centre, Khartoum, Soba University Hospital, P.O. Box 102, Sudan.
| | - Beatriz L Gomez
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota 111211, Colombia.
| | - Ruoyu Li
- Peking University First Hospital, Research Centre for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
| | - Yesholata Mahabeer
- Department of Medical Microbiology, National Health Laboratory Services and School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Berea, Durban 4001, South Africa.
| | - Anisa Mosam
- Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwazulu Natal, Berea, Durban 4001, South Africa.
| | | | | | | | - Wendy van de Sande
- Erasmus MC, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Dean L, Tolhurst R, Nallo G, Kollie K, Bettee A, Theobald S. Neglected tropical disease as a 'biographical disruption': Listening to the narratives of affected persons to develop integrated people centred care in Liberia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007710. [PMID: 31490931 PMCID: PMC6750611 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Integrated disease management, disability and inclusion (DMDI) for NTDs is increasingly prioritised. There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of integrated DMDI from the perspective of affected individuals and how this varies by differing axes of inequality such as age, gender, and disability. We used narrative methods to consider how individuals' unique positions of power and privilege shaped their illness experience, to elucidate what practical and feasible steps could support integrated DMDI in Liberia and beyond. METHODS We purposively selected 27 participants affected by the clinical manifestations of lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, Buruli Ulcer, and onchocerciasis from three counties in Liberia to take part in illness narrative interviews. Participants were selected to ensure maximum variation in age, gender and clinical manifestation. Narrative analysis was grounded within feminist intersectional theory. FINDINGS For all participants, chronic illness, morbidity and disability associated with NTDs represented a key moment of 'biographical disruption' triggering the commencement of a restitution narrative. Complex health seeking pathways, aetiologies and medical syncretism meant that adoption of the 'sick role' was initially acceptable, but when the reality of permanency of condition was identified, a transition to periods of chaos and significant psycho-social difficulty occurred. An intersectional lens emphasises how biographical disruption is mediated by intersecting social processes. Gender, generation, and disability were all dominant axes of social inequity shaping experience. SIGNIFICANCE This is one of the first studies to use narrative approaches to interrogate experience of chronic disabling conditions within LMICs and is the only study to apply such an analysis to NTDs. The emotive power of narrative should be utilised to influence the value base of policy makers to ensure that DMDI strategies respond holistically to the needs of the most marginalised, thus contributing to more equitable people-centred care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Dean
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Rachel Tolhurst
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Gartee Nallo
- University of Liberia, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Monrovia, Monsterrado, Liberia
| | - Karsor Kollie
- Neglected Tropical Disease Programme, Ministry of Health, Government of Liberia, Monrovia, Monsterrado, Liberia
| | - Anthony Bettee
- Neglected Tropical Disease Programme, Ministry of Health, Government of Liberia, Monrovia, Monsterrado, Liberia
| | - Sally Theobald
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Engelman D, Steer AC. Control Strategies for Scabies. Trop Med Infect Dis 2018; 3:E98. [PMID: 30274494 PMCID: PMC6160909 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed3030098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Scabies is a neglected tropical disease of the skin, causing severe itching and stigmatizing skin lesions. Further, scabies leads to impetigo, severe bacterial infections, and post-infectious complications. Around 200 million people are affected, particularly among disadvantaged populations living in crowded conditions in tropical areas. After almost 50 years, research into scabies control has shown great promise, particularly in highly-endemic island settings, but these findings have not been widely adopted. Newer approaches, utilizing ivermectin-based mass drug administration, appear feasible and highly effective. Inclusion of scabies in the WHO portfolio of neglected tropical diseases in 2017 may facilitate renewed opportunities and momentum toward global control. However, further operational research is needed to develop evidence-based strategies for control in a range of settings, and monitor their impact. Several enabling factors are required for successful implementation, including availability of affordable drug supply. Integration with existing health programs may provide a cost-effective approach to control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Engelman
- Tropical Diseases, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
- Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
- International Alliance for the Control of Scabies, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
| | - Andrew C Steer
- Tropical Diseases, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
- Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
- International Alliance for the Control of Scabies, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
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Yotsu RR, Kouadio K, Vagamon B, N’guessan K, Akpa AJ, Yao A, Aké J, Abbet Abbet R, Tchamba Agbor Agbor B, Bedimo R, Ishii N, Fuller LC, Hay R, Mitjà O, Drechsler H, Asiedu K. Skin disease prevalence study in schoolchildren in rural Côte d'Ivoire: Implications for integration of neglected skin diseases (skin NTDs). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006489. [PMID: 29771976 PMCID: PMC5976208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Early detection of several skin-related neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs)–including leprosy, Buruli ulcer, yaws, and scabies- may be achieved through school surveys, but such an approach has seldom been tested systematically on a large scale in endemic countries. Additionally, a better understanding of the spectrum of skin diseases and the at-risk populations to be encountered during such surveys is necessary to facilitate the process. Methods We performed a school skin survey for selected NTDs and the spectrum of skin diseases, among primary schoolchildren aged 5 to 15 in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. This 2-phase survey took place in 49 schools from 16 villages in the Adzopé health district from November 2015 to January 2016. The first phase involved a rapid visual examination of the skin by local community healthcare workers (village nurses) to identify any skin abnormality. In a second phase, a specialized medical team including dermatologists performed a total skin examination of all screened students with any skin lesion and provided treatment where necessary. Results Of a total of 13,019 children, 3,504 screened positive for skin lesions and were listed for the next stage examination. The medical team examined 1,138 of these children. The overall prevalence of skin diseases was 25.6% (95% CI: 24.3–26.9%). The predominant diagnoses were fungal infections (n = 858, prevalence: 22.3%), followed by inflammatory skin diseases (n = 265, prevalence: 6.9%). Skin diseases were more common in boys and in children living along the main road with heavy traffic. One case of multi-bacillary type leprosy was detected early, along with 36 cases of scabies. Our survey was met with very good community acceptance. Conclusion We carried out the first large-scale integrated, two-phase pediatric multi-skin NTD survey in rural Côte d’Ivoire, effectively reaching a large population. We found a high prevalence of skin diseases in children, but only limited number of skin NTDs. With the lessons learned, we plan to expand the project to a wider area to further explore its potential to better integrate skin NTD screening in the public health agenda. Integration of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) into the public health agenda has been a priority in global health for the last decade. A common feature shared by several NTDs is skin involvement. Conditions within this group of NTDs have now been classified as skin NTDs to promote wider NTD integration. Several skin NTDs including leprosy, Buruli ulcer, yaws, and scabies are co-endemic in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. As children are vulnerable to these diseases, we carried out the first large-scale integrated, multi-skin NTD school survey in a rural district of this country. Our strategy of involving community healthcare workers and dermatologists effectively reached a large population. However, the detection of skin NTDs may have been limited because of the low schooling and attendance rate. We found a high prevalence of skin diseases among schoolchildren (26%), possibly due to poor socio-economic status and air pollution, which requires more attention. This high prevalence of skin diseases posed a challenge for our project as the need for medications and those with dermatological skills exceeded our capacity to reach our initial target population. Our study provides important lessons that will aid the framing of future school skin surveys in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Roselyne Yotsu
- Department of Dermatology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Dermatology, National Suruga Sanatorium, Shizuoka, Japan
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Kouamé Kouadio
- Eco Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Bamba Vagamon
- Raoul Follereau Institute Côte d’Ivoire, Adzopé, Côte d’Ivoire
| | | | | | - Aubin Yao
- MAP International West Africa, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Julien Aké
- MAP International West Africa, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Rigobert Abbet Abbet
- National Program for Leprosy Control (PNEL), Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | | | - Roger Bedimo
- Department of Medicine, VA North Texas Healthcare System, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Dallas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Norihisa Ishii
- Leprosy Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - L. Claire Fuller
- International Foundation for Dermatology
- Dermatology Department, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Oriol Mitjà
- Skin NTD Program, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Henning Drechsler
- Department of Medicine, VA North Texas Healthcare System, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Dallas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kingsley Asiedu
- Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Implementation of a decentralized community-based treatment program to improve the management of Buruli ulcer in the Ouinhi district of Benin, West Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018. [PMID: 29529087 PMCID: PMC5864090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mycobacterium ulcerans infection, commonly known as Buruli ulcer (BU), is a debilitating neglected tropical disease. Its management remains complex and has three main components: antibiotic treatment combining rifampicin and streptomycin for 56 days, wound dressings and skin grafts for large ulcerations, and physical therapy to prevent functional limitations after care. In Benin, BU patient care is being integrated into the government health system. In this paper, we report on an innovative pilot program designed to introduce BU decentralization in Ouinhi district, one of Benin's most endemic districts previously served by centralized hospital-based care. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We conducted intervention-oriented research implemented in four steps: baseline study, training of health district clinical staff, outreach education, outcome and impact assessments. Study results demonstrated that early BU lesions (71% of all detected cases) could be treated in the community following outreach education, and that most of the afflicted were willing to accept decentralized treatment. Ninety-three percent were successfully treated with antibiotics alone. The impact evaluation found that community confidence in decentralized BU care was greatly enhanced by clinic staff who came to be seen as having expertise in the care of most chronic wounds. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study documents a successful BU outreach and decentralized care program reaching early BU cases not previously treated by a proactive centralized BU program. The pilot program further demonstrates the added value of integrated wound management for NTD control.
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