Jakarta, IO – Across the globe, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) infect more than one billion people, trapping the younger generation in a vicious cycle of poverty and stigma. However, they have become less “neglected” in recent years. In the past decade, the number of people who required treatment for NTDs is down by 25%, and 47 countries have eliminated at least one NTD in their territory alone – including the eight countries who did so just in the past year. However, the world continues to face multiple, deep-rooted challenges that are only worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic – including how to earn and manage sustainable funding to continue NTD-related programs, initiatives, or interventions in multiple countries.
“In 2021, the WHO launched an NTD Mitigation Roadmap, with the global targets of preventing, controlling, eliminating, and eradicating 20 NTDs and their respective group diseases. We need everyone’s support to accelerate the progress towards these targets. Investing in NTD eradication is more than just investing the disease itself: it also means investing in sanitation, drinking water, and hygiene programs; vector control programs; universal health coverage; stronger health system; and eradication of poverty. Our message for NTD eradication is ‘Act now, act together, and invest in NTD programs’,” declared Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO, in the online message he sent for the 2023 World NTD Day commemoration event held in Jakarta, Tuesday (21/02/2023).
NTDs in Eastern Indonesia
At the same event, Dr. dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, DHSM, MARS, Ministry of Health’s Director of the Prevention and Control of Diseases, reported that NTD Day is one of the 13 world health days implemented by the WHO. “Let us increase our care, which allows us to create an NTDfree Indonesia. 47 countries in the world have successfully eradicated NTD, let us strive to become the 48th. We are focusing in the eradication of leprosy, yaws, filariasis, schistosomiasis, and worm infestations. We already have regulations for the elimination of leprosy, because it is included in both the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plans and the Regulation of the Minister of Health Number 11 of 2019, both of which refer to the Global Leprosy Strategy. Our target is a prevalence of fewer than 1 out of 10,000 citizens, and to achieve zero leprosy, zero disability, and zero stigma,” he said.
Yaws, which is a disease caused by the Treponema pallidum pertenue bacteria, is still frequently found in the Eastern parts of Indonesia, especially in Papua, Maluku, and North Maluku. “On the other hand, filariasis is endemic in 236 regencies and municipalities, despite the fact that it is easy to eliminate by mass medication. Schistosomiasis is endemic in the Regencies of Poso and Sigi, in the Province of Central Sulawesi. It is the only disease that remains endemic in Southeast Asian countries. Worm infestations remain prevalent in several regencies and municipalities, but we hope to be able to reduce the prevalence rate to below 10%,” Dr. Maxi said.
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Finally, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin declares that other than NTDs, Indonesia needs to be concerned about rabies, which is transmitted through the bite of animals like dogs, cats, and monkeys. “The four major pathogens that cause infectious diseases are bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. Infection may occur when you touch skins directly with a sufferer, mosquito bites, and in the case of schistosomiasis, when you touch or eat snails. NTD infection is best avoided by implementing strict health protocols, strengthening surveillance, providing vaccines, and providing therapies. We have the advantaged of widely accessible and available NTD medication,” he said. (est)