Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) primarily affect low-income populations in developing areas of tropical countries such as Africa, Asia and the Americas. Life-saving treatments and prevention methods are not available amongst poor communities, and NTDs receive lower funding and less attention that HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
But NTDs often worsen the diseases of main focus and make them more deadly. It is therefore essential that investment into eliminating NTDs is scaled up to improve the health of more than 1.5 billion people globally, preventing blindness, disfigurement, disability and death.
MENTOR works to reduce disease burden through mass drug administrations (MDAs) in school and community networks. It also builds the capacity of health workers through training and supervisions, coupled with school-based programmes which encourage hand-washing in children. Large-scale administration of low cost/donated drugs, offer a potential quick win to reduce NTD prevalence in countries where MDA can be successfully rolled out. MENTOR works to control these diseases by implementing education strategies which reduce re-infection, while supporting health authorities to build capacity. By integrating different control and prevention methods into one package, these diseases can be controlled and eventually eliminated.