USAID's Act to End Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) | East program supports 12 countries in Africa, the Americas, and Asia, providing critical support to governments to create sustainable platforms for NTD services within robust and resilient health systems with an aim to control and eliminate NTDs. MISSION
The U.S. Agency for International Development Act to End Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) | East Program supports national NTD programs in reaching World Health Organization goals for NTD control and elimination through proven, cost-effective public health interventions. The Act to End NTDs | East (Act | East) Program provides critical support to governments to create sustainable platforms for NTD services within robust and resilient health systems. The Act | East Program is implemented by a consortium of partners, led by RTI International, and including The Carter Center; Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF); Light for the World (LFTW); Results for Development (R4D); Save the Children; Sightsavers; and WI-HER.
OBJECTIVES:
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) works alongside endemic countries and with global, regional, and in-country partners to improve health and end NTD.
USAID's NTD program has four key objectives:
● Controlling and eliminating diseases
● Strengthening the scientific and program evidence base
● Supporting sustainable country-led programs
● Strengthening and expanding partnerships
All of Tanzania’s 57 million people are at risk for one more NTD. USAID's Act to End NTDs | East program supports Tanzania in the sustainable control & elimination of five NTDs: lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, onchocerciasis schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminth infections.
The program supports the Government of Tanzania in reaching the population with treatment through mass drug administration, conducting surveys to assess impact, and helping to prepare dossiers for the World Health Organization’s certification process, which confirms the successful elimination of these diseases.
Since 2018, Act | East has supported Tanzania to deliver more than 50 million treatments for at least one NTD and trained more than 200,000 government officials, health workers, and teachers on skills to effectively deliver NTD services.
Act | East is prioritizing efforts to ensure NTD services are integrated into a robust and resilient health system, including through integration into national and sub-national health plans, strategies, and budgets. Act | East is also supporting Tanzania to expand the reach of NTD services, including through microplanning, behavior change communications, and gender equity, & social inclusion activities, which strengthens the health system to reach all people at risk for NTDs.
To date, Tanzania has made remarkable progress to achieve their national NTD goals, with 28.9 million Tanzanians no longer at risk for lymphatic filariasis and 17 million persons no longer at risk for trachoma.
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