Detection and treatment
Awareness, prevention and early treatment of NTDs
- Benin Country
- 2.447.378 € Investment
- 2020-22 Length
The Challenge
The relentless fight against forgotten diseases in Benin.
Benin is one of the poorest countries in West Africa, a region hit by various skin-related Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), such as the Buruli ulcer and yaws, which primarily affect children.
The solution
Since 2015, we have supported the National Programme to Fight Against NTDs from Benin’s Ministry of Health, a programme which aims to reduce cases of these diseases in the country. Therefore, we adhere to the WHO’s integrated strategy to fight against skin-related NTDs by:
- Driving forward the prevention and early treatment of leprosy, yaws and the Buruli ulcer.
- Improving quality of care in health centres for patients suffering from these diseases, taking into account the needs of women and children and people with disability, primarily.
- Promoting appropriate measures of sanitation and hygiene.
- Fostering raised awareness and education around NTDs.
Impact
By strengthening the Benin health system, we will be able to eliminate leprosy, control the Buruli ulcer and eradicate yaws from the country by 2025, in accordance with the WHO’s integrated strategy to control skin-related NTDs.
As a result, we want to ensure the population’s full Right to Health, improve the quality of life of those people suffering from these diseases and commit to fighting against all forms of exclusion these people face.
Related projects
See other projects where we fight Neglected Tropical Diseases
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In Togo, the health system lacks sufficient resources to combat easily treatable forgotten diseases. We are moving forward in our aim to eliminate leprosy, control the Buruli ulcer and eradicate yaws in Togo.
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Ghana is endemic for several NTDs and about half of the population lives in rural, impoverished and isolated areas that are conducive to their proliferation.
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In 2021, 8 new cases of leprosy were detected in the municipality and in 2022 5 have been detected so far.
Improving the health of communities in Upper Denkyira
the Upper Denkyira East and Upper Denkyira West districts in Ghana are endemic of a number of NTDs, namely Buruli ulcer, yaws and leprosy.
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