1st International Conference on NTDs

The 1^st International Conference on NTDs (IncoNTD) in Africa is being jointly organized with the 13^th Kenya Ministry of Health and KEMRI Annual NTD Conference. FIND is one of the sponsors of the conference, whose theme – Cross-border partnership towards achieving control and elimination of NTDs – is based on the recognition that success in control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in any country requires cooperation beyond its borders.

Prof. Joseph Ndung’u, Head of the FIND NTD programme, is giving a presentation titled Driving elimination of sleeping sickness in the transboundary region of Uganda, South Sudan, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness occurs in geographically discrete foci, including in some transboundary areas. To achieve elimination, entire HAT foci must be included in the elimination programme. While Uganda has made good progress towards elimination, its HAT focus extends into South Sudan, from where the disease could be re-introduced into the country. Likewise, the Bas Congo HAT focus traverses a region across Angola, the DRC and Republic of Congo. A commitment by neighbouring governments is essential, endemic zones should be safely accessible, and activities on both sides of the border must be harmonized if HAT elimination is to be realized.

Date: 4–6 December 2019
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

• IncoNTD website