Yemen: Neglected Diseases in a Neglected Country

Naming Neglected Tropical Diseases

The diseases that we now refer to as neglected tropical diseases can be pretty hard to pronounce. However, they haven’t always been lumped together as neglected tropical diseases. On the latest episode of Listening Tour, we hear a story from Alan Fenwick, founder of the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, on why and how the NTD community decided to start working closer together and calling these diseases neglected tropical diseases.

Building Partnerships in Kenya

Dr. Sultani Matendcharo, head of the NTD unit at the Kenyan Ministry of Health, tells the story of his life's work. In 2018, Kenya is set to complete its fifth round of deworming for school-age children, pilot a new drug therapy for lymphatic filariasis (LF) that will accelerate the end of the disease, and provide surgeries for men with debilitating hydroceles. With all of these gains towards ending NTDs, this episode focuses on the story of the man helping to organize it all.

The Story of Daniel Shungu

Daniel Shungu first came to the United States in 1962 from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His plan was not to stay in America for the rest of his life, but to get an education and return to the DRC with skills that would help people in his country. However, his life plan changed and ended up staying in the United States for the next 55 years. But, a pleasant surprise led him to an early retirement and the ability to bring his expertise back to the DRC. This episode of the Listening Tour examines the story of Daniel Shungu and the work he does for UFAR.

Yemen: Neglected Diseases in a Neglected Country

While Yemen remains embroiled in a civil war, Dhekra Annuzaili, a program manager at the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, continues to work on programs to provide treatment to school aged children at risk for neglected tropical diseases. Working in Yemen was difficult before the civil war started, but now there are large internally displaced populations, high rates of malnutrition and areas that are nearly impossible to reach.

Beginnings

In the season two premiere of the Listening Tour, we speak with three different people about that specific moment when they decided to work in the global neglected tropical disease field. We hear stories from Teshome Gebre (regional director for Africa at the International Trachoma Initiative), Bill Simmons (President of the American Leprosy Missions) and Serge Resnikoff (President of the Organisation pour la prévention de la cécité). Combined they have spent decades working on this cause.