One of the factors impeding development is the high burden of communicable diseases in remote populations, where neglected tropical disease infections are prevalent.
The United States Agency for International Development, through its implementing partner FHI 360, has identified this problem, and is giving training to local health personnel.
The team was in Kavieng this week.
After training local health center supervisors and village volunteers, USAID launched the local distribution of drugs in Kavieng town, to eliminate elephantiasis in the province.
The provincial government has committed K250, 000 per year over the next four years, to assist this project.
The project’s target is to reach 126,000 people, or 80% of the province’s total at-risk population.
After training local health center supervisors and village volunteers, USAID launched the local distribution of drugs to eliminate elephantiasis in Kavieng town, New Ireland Province.
The drugs were donated by two multinational pharmaceutical companies: Glaxo Smith Kline and EISAI.
In Papua New Guinea, one of the factors impeding development is the high burden of communicable diseases particularly in remote populations; neglected tropical disease infections are prevalent.
One of the most predominant diseases is Lymphatic Filariasis, or elephantiasis.
Symptoms include swollen limbs.
This is endemic in at least 61 out of 89 districts in Papua New Guinea, with approximately 5.2 million people at risk.
The program included training of local health center supervisors who will be responsible for oversight of the drug administration campaign.
FHI 360 also trained over 600 village volunteers on how to organize the local distribution of drugs, manage any adverse effects, and report on coverage results.
If New Ireland Province is able to maintain the annual distribution of these drugs, with high coverage, elephantiasis will be eliminated from the province in five to six years.
U.S. Health Attaché to PNG, Dr. Carlos Williams said “Neglected tropical diseases affect the health of over one billion people worldwide, with over two billion people at risk, especially among those living in poverty in remote rural areas or urban slums.
Children are disproportionately affected and can live with the consequences their whole lives, including severe physical pain, irreversible disability, gross disfigurement, mental impairment, and in some cases death”.
FHI 360 is an international organization working in over 60 countries in the world in areas of health, HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, education, livelihoods research, economic development, and environment.
In Papua New Guinea, FHI 360 is implementing HIV/AIDS, Gender-based violence, and health projects in the National Capital District, Madang, Western Highlands, Sandaun, Enga and New Ireland provinces since 2004.
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