Call to embrace medicines that prevent tropical diseases
ZIMBABWEANS should embrace taking medicines that help prevent neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), the director of epidemiology and disease control in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Portia Manangazira has said.
NTDs are communicable diseases that are found in tropical and subtropical regions.
Dr Manangazira made the appeal last week in the capital during the launch of a mobile application on NTDs by Global Shapers Community Harare Hub.
“Neglected tropical diseases are real and they affect all of us. Taking medicines to prevent the diseases is much cheaper than curing the diseases, so I urge everyone to take action and help in fight against these NTDs. Prevention is better and cheaper than cure, as always,” said Dr Manangazira.
Zimbabwe, she said, is mostly affected by four of the five most common NTDs - filariasis (elephantiasis), schistosomiasis (bilharzia), soil-transmitted helminthes (intestinal worms) and trachoma.
Dr Manangazira applauded Global Shapers Community Harare Hub, a group of young Zimbabweans, for taking the initiative of educating the public the dangers of NTDs through the launch of the #endntds Application.
The mobile application will be used to share information on NTDs and is accessible on Google Play for Android users.
She also extended her gratitude to the END FUND, a non-Governmental organisation (NGOs) for the financial support towards eliminating NTDs, saying most of the ministry’s efforts are slowed by lack of funding.
“I would like to commend the END FUND organisation for the unwavering support in health issues, because as a ministry we are slowed in our efforts due to lack of funding. For example, in 2010 we carried a survey in all the districts in the country and 47 of them had higher levels of bilharzia, but we only managed to act on the survey results in 2012 due to lack of resources and funding,” said Dr Manangazira.
END FUND country representative Ms Eve Gatawa said her organisation was dedicated to end NTDs and applauded Ministry of Health and Child Care for taking initiatives in dealing with the diseases.
“In 2016 alone, three million children in Zimbabwe were treated against NTDs and this year, we are targeting three million children in all affected districts,” said Gatawa.