The primary challenges faced by the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) programme are lack of awareness, stigma and discrimination. Many people living in areas with high NTD prevalence are not informed about the diseases, their
causes, and preventive measures. This lack of awareness can result in delayed treatment and facilitate disease transmission. In addition, NTDs are frequently linked to poverty and poor living conditions, which can lead to stigmatization and discrimination against and marginalization of affected individuals.
Indonesia has made significant progress in tackling five out of 20 main NTDs: lymphatic filariasis (LF), soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH), schistosomiasis, leprosy and yaws. The number of people requiring interventions against these NTDs has decreased from 188.5 million in 2010 toto 82.3 million in 2021, with leprosy eliminated as a public health problem at the national level since2000 . In addition, six out of 28 schistosomiasis endemic villages have reported zero cases since 2019, demonstrating the effectiveness of integrated snail control, treatment, and public health veterinary areas. These achievements contribute to a reduction of the global NTDs burden. The 2021-2030 Global NTDs Roadmap aims to reduce the number of people requiring interventions against NTDs by 90% by 2030. This requires a comprehensive approach involving increased research and development funding, better access to healthcare and medication, improved sanitation and hygiene, and increased awareness and education about NTDs. The World NTDs Day, observed on 30 January, is an opportunity to address these issues.
To promote community awareness and encourage local governments to increase funding for NTD control programmes, WHO Indonesia provided financial and technical support to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in developing information, education, and communication (IEC) material for the country’s first commemoration of World NTDs Day 2023.
Since 30 January 2023, the MoH and WHO conducted a series of media briefings, webinars, and social mobilization activities, culminating in the main event on 21 February 2023. The commemoration gathered approximately 500 stakeholders in the NTDs ecosystem, including 108 regents and mayors from NTD endemic areas, relevant ministries and agencies, implementing partners, and the media. As a highlight of the main event, the Minister of Health awarded five LF- and 103 Yaws-free certificates to mayors and heads of districts. The minister also encouraged greater investment in NTDs surveillance.
Since 2015, Indonesia followed a sub-national elimination approach, while WHO has provided technical assistance, adopting global/regional norms into national strategic plans, built capacity, and facilitated free-of-charge medicines for NTDs control programme.
“Investing in NTDs is not just an investment in fighting a single disease. It's also an investment in water sanitation and hygiene, vector control, One Health, stronger health systems, universal health coverage and the fight against poverty. Today on world NTDs Day, WHO’s message is clear: act now, act together, invest in NTDs,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, through a video message.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, highlighted the four main approaches to combat NTDs: health protocol to avoid infection, surveillance and case detection, vaccine, and treatment. “Vaccines are not available as all NTDs are now on the verge of elimination while treatment is widely available and easy to access. Therefore, two key approaches that should be intensified are health protocol and strengthening the case detection or surveillance system,” he said.
The call to invest in NTDs was met with a commitment from policy makers at the local level: “We, 103 regents and mayors who received the yaws-free certificate, commit to maintain the zero yaws case in our districts and cities, and to provide adequate financial and human resources for the yaws eradication programme until the national target of Indonesia-free from yaws is achieved by 2024,” said H. Arif Sugiyanto, Head of Kebumen District, in the event.
Participation of all stakeholders is a critical component in the control, elimination and eradication of NTDs. Their involvement in planning, implementation, and monitoring of NTD control programmes can help increase treatment coverage, improve health education, enhance surveillance and monitoring, and ensure the sustainability of the programmes.
Optimizing social mobilization during World NTDs Day involves engaging and inspiring a broad range of stakeholders to act and support the global effort to eliminate NTDs. Collaboration with partners and stakeholders to amplify the message and reach a wider audience should be considered. This could include government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and private sector companies. All these efforts will contribute to elimination of NTDs in Indonesia.
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Written by Achmad Naufal Azhari, WHO Indonesia NPO for Neglected Tropical Diseases