Mundo Sano Today

     

Conclusions of the symposium organized by Mundo Sano

Over 400 specialists reflected on the barriers to access to treatment of neglected diseases

Remarkable speakers from Ibero-American countries took part in the meeting, as well as Health Minister Dr. Juan Manzur. The core topics of the meeting were how to improve detection and treatment of diseases like Chagas, dengue, leishmaniasis or parasitoses, and the existing barriers to reach the population at risk, which is above 127 million people in the American Continent.

More than 400 scientists debated over the results of the investigations during two sessions that focused on the barriers to access to treatment of the neglected diseases in the region. Minister of Health, Juan Manzur, Pier Paolo Balladelli, from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and Mundo Sano President Silvia Gold were in charge of the opening ceremony.

With an emphasis on the fact that Mundo Sano's aim is to search for solutions leading to improved access to health, Dr. Silvia Gold pointed out that the programs at Fundación Mundo Sano "are based on prevention of transmission, diagnosis and access to treatments. Programs for the treatment of patients with Chagas disease are currently underway, both in endemic and non-endemic areas; there are also programs for massive administration of antiparasitic drugs in the treatment of Strongyloides stercolaris in the Department of Orán, province of Salta”.

In turn, Minister of Health Juan Manzur, who defined Mundo Sano as a strategic partner, stressed that "so far during 2011, surveillance and control actions for Chagas disease have been intensified with provision of supplies as well as training and sensitization actions among the population in matters of prevention and early detection”. He also pointed out that, “for the first time in the history of malaria endemics, Argentina is in the phase of elimination of its autochthonous transmission and it is estimated that by next year, we will have accomplished three years without local transmission”

Neglected diseases in Latin America

Approximately 127 million people, 570 million of which live in the 44 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are at risk of becoming infected by the so-called neglected diseases, conditions which are directly related with unfavorable living conditions. This data derives from a report by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) submitted by Dr. Santiago Nicholls, a specialist in parasitology and member of the Regional Program of Neglected Infectious Diseases of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

“All these diseases are in close connection with poverty, poor housing, lack of access to water supply, education, sewage systems...It could be said that the poor populations in Latin America are exposed to some of these diseases, though not necessarily to all", stated Nicholls. According to this research, the main groups at risk of these diseases would be people living in the country, people living in poor neighborhoods, migrant workers, women and indigenous people. Most of the neglected diseases have an impact on the individuals, their families and the communities in developing countries, in terms of productivity loss, poverty worsening and high long-term health care costs.

Soil-transmitted parasitoses, Chagas disease, leishmaniosis and malaria are some of the neglected diseases most prevalent in the region. According to what is stated by the PAHO, it is estimated that 26 million children at school age are exposed to several soil-transmitted parasitoses. A recommended strategy to face this problem is the massive administration of antiparasitic drugs to at least 75% of the children of school age who are at risk.

Barriers to access to treatments of neglected diseases

The lack of connection between the educational and health systems is “the main problem”, as was stated by Dr. Gustavo Marín, Magister in Public Health of Universidad Nacional de La Plata. “There is no feedback. Our educational system has contents that do not respond to the regional needs. At internship admission tests, candidates tend to give correct answers to those contents that are not of vital importance to our every day life; while, on the other hand, they ignore fundamental aspects related to autochthonous diseases".“Knowledge about and awareness of neglected diseases are crucial to create proper resources”, expressed Marín.

Alejandro Krolewiecki, from the National Institute of Tropical Disease Research of Universidad Nacional de Salta, Orán Section, who is also responsible for the strongyloidiasis program carried out by Mundo Sano in Orán, explained during his presentation that “one of the main characteristics of neglected diseases is the poor investment made in getting useful medicines available to those people who are most in need of them". Specialists have agreed that there are no chemicals available for safe and efficient treatments that can replace those drugs whose administration is complex.