BY FIONA MOTSA
MBABANE– Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of 20 conditions, that mostly affect impoverished communities and disproportionately affect women and children.
According to World Health Organisation, NTDs include: Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue and chikungunya, dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease), echinococcosis, foodborne trematodiases, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, leprosy (Hansen’s disease), lymphatic filariasis, mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses, onchocerciasis (river blindness), rabies, scabies and other ectoparasitoses, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases, snakebite envenoming, taeniasis/cysticercosis, trachoma, and yaws and other endemic treponematoses.
Out of these 20 NTD’s only four affect the Kingdom currently according to World Health Organisation Eswatini Health Promotion Officer, Dr. Kevin Makadzange.
“There are over 20 diseases affecting the African continent. Eswatini luckily is dealing with four diseases. These are bilharzia, worms, leprosy, snake bites, and venom.
“We have seen that the major issue right now is snakebites and venom. As W.H.O we work closely with the Ministry of Health and Anti Venom Foundation for the Neglected Tropical Diseases Program,” said Makadzange.
Makadzange further mentioned that a lot is been done. “We have done a lot already as far as snakebites are concerned with raising awareness. The Ministry of Health last year trained its doctors on how to spot symptoms and know how to eliminate them in all four regions,” said Makadzange.
