Burkina Faso/Fight against neglected tropical diseases: Journalists invited to get involved
On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, a commitment and advocacy meeting was held in Ouagadougou for journalists and health program hosts on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Burkina Faso. The meeting was initiated by Mahamadi Ouédraogo, a journalist with RTB/Radio rurale who has been designated champion of the fight against NTDs by Speak Up Africa, which, with the support of the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, supports the National Program to Combat NTDs.
Speak Up Africa, the Programme national de lutte contre les maladies tropicales négligées and MTN champion Mahamadi Ouédraogo are hoping for greater commitment from women and men in the media to eliminate neglected tropical diseases by 2030. The meeting on September 4, 2024 provided an opportunity to equip journalists, health program hosts and health desk officersto better understand the issues and challenges involved in eliminating these diseases, and to be better equipped to deal with the theme of NTDs.
NTDs, as Adama Ilboudo from the communication unit of the National Program for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases points out, are a group of 21 diseases of bacterial, viral, parasitic, mycotic origin, etc., which are transmissible and affect the poorest populations. According to the WHO, NTDs affect more than 1.5 billion people worldwide, 39% of them in Africa, where they have serious socio-economic consequences. Although preventable and treatable, these diseases continue to cause major disabilities and health complications.
Dengue fever, which has re-emerged in Burkina Faso in recent years, is one of the NTDs, as is leprosy, which continues to attract new cases. For example, in 2023, Burkina Faso recorded 206 new cases of leprosy, including nine children. Buruli ulcer, snakebite, lymphatic filariasis, rabies, trachoma (33,000 cases recorded in 2010), onchocerciasis or river blindness, bilharzia, intestinal worms, scabies, etc. are all neglected tropical diseases. are all neglected tropical diseases that continue to plague our country, mainly in rural areas.
There are two main groups of NTDs: those with preventive chemotherapy, of which there are five, and those with individual case management.
Despite the efforts of the government and its partners to eliminate these diseases, challenges remain. That's why Mahamadi Ouédraogo, champion of the fight against NTDs, called on journalists to take up the fight against NTDs through their productions. He invited them to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of NTDs, but also of the solutions available, to mobilize opinion and decision-makers through their articles, broadcasts and interviews, and to support the actions of health players, in particular the National Program to Combat NTDs and their partners.
"We have a unique role to play in this fight. Our voices, our pens, our reports can make a difference. We have the capacity to shed light on the dark areas, to draw attention to these diseases and to help raise awareness among our populations of the preventive measures and treatments available (...) Your commitment alongside MTN champions is essential if we are to succeed in this mission. Together, we can ensure that no one suffers in silence from these diseases. Together, we can build a healthier future for Burkina Faso," said Mr. Ouédraogo.
In addition to Mahamadi Ouédraogo, four other people, including the Minister of Health, were named "champions" in the fight against neglected tropical diseases.
Source: lefaso.net/
