Combatting Witchcraft, Rumors, and NTDs

TFGH Hackathon Team 11

Lorna Enow Bianca Tenney CITEC Higher Institute of Georgia State University Technology and Management Oluwadamilare Dauda Vinh Le University Michigan State University 1 Team Introduction

Lorna Enow Vinh Le PD Project Management MS Hotel Administration ‘22

Bianca Tenney Oluwadamilare Dauda MPH Epidemiology ‘22 MS Parasitology & Vector Biology '21 Agenda 1. Team Introductions 2. Problem Statement 3. Proposed Solutions 4. Practical Applications 5. Cost Estimation 6. Impacts 7. Considerations for Implementation 8. Conclusion 9. Q & A Problem Statement Due to lack of health literacy, misinformation, rumors or pseudo-science discourage people who are actively suffering from Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) related morbidity from seeking appropriate treatment at a health facility. Question to answer: How to promote a positive and educational NTD message campaign in to better link those suffering from disease to care ? Proposed Solutions ØCommunity level: a Monitoring and Orientation teams comprising community health workers led by the local government NTD coordinator. ØThis team will identify and visit those suffering from NTD related morbidity and educate them on the disease they are suffering from, the cause, the treatment, which are available for free by sponsors. ØCreate a medical chart for each patient. ØThere should be quarterly check-ups on these people before commencing MDA in the community in order to gain community’s trust. The team should ensure confidentiality. Proposed Solutions

ØColorful pamphlets for NTD endemic communities containing information on some NTDs, treatments and the importance of the drugs. ØHealth education teachers or Social science teachers in each school will teach and educate students using the pamphlet once every week. ØTo encourage students to keep the pamphlets, NTD education can be incorporated into school curriculum every year. ØThe Monitoring and Orientation teams will come to local schools organizing games and quiz competitions on NTDs, and participants will be rewarded with Sandals (to combat Soil-Transmitted Helminthes) as prizes. This will encourage the children to participate thereby increasing their knowledge of NTDs in the process. LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY

Ifeodan Primary Health SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Centre, Bolorunduro Area, Ifeodan Ejigbo Fever, aches, rash, sores, or Road Osun State, Phone Number:0703-258- swelling of the lymph 1085, open 24 hours

nodes or at the site of Owu-Ile PHC, Along Oyo infection. Road Owu Ile Phone Number: 0703-135- Other symptoms can take 8275, open 24 hours years to present, like visual impairment, limb swelling, Oke Afin Health Post, Along 's or skin disease Residence Oke Afin, Phone Number: 0806- 703-3178, open Monday – Friday, 8am-4pm

Contact

Other local health care facilities: Lymphatic Filariasis https://hfr.health.gov.ng/fa cilities/hospitals-list RIVER BLINDNESS Practical Application ØIdentification and quarterly visitation to those already affected will help build their trust and confidence in the drug. ØThe long-term benefit of educating the school-aged children in the community is, there will be improved acceptance and acceptability of MDA. When everyone in the community understands the diseases and the importance of the PC-NTD, they can encourage their parents and family members to accept and swallow drugs during MDA. ØAnother advantage is that when everyone understands the diseases, they can stop stigmatizing those with the diseases. Cost Estimation For a community Monitoring & Orientation team: On government payroll but small incentive can be given. LNTD = $30 Health workers $20 x 4 = $80 Pamphlets: 2000 copies = $850 Pair of Sandals: 100 pairs = $300 Miscellaneous = $100 Total = $1360 Impacts

Assurance of posterity since Increased knowledge about Demystifying these the school-aged children of the nature of these diseases Educating the younger diseases will put an end to the today will eventually grow up will enhance the receptiveness generation, will cause a ripple stigmatization of individuals to be adults and parents and of MDAs, improve living effect in these communities. who are currently living with educate those that come after conditions, thereby increasing them. them. life expectancy. Considerations for Implementation

Factors that may slow down or inhibit the implementation of these solutions:

Cultural beliefs

Skepticism from the people about receiving advise from strangers

Inability to reach target communities due to very poor roads.

Misuse of provided resources by the community Conclusion

Neglected Tropical Diseases affect mostly poor and rural communities with no access to water, proper sanitation and good hygiene. A large percentage of them do not have smart devices, TVs, or even radios so campaigns that use these tools will most likely not yield results. The best way we can get those affected linked to care is by promoting health literacy in the community starting with the school-aged children. By providing a pamphlets, everyone will have easy access to this resource, and by using common terms, no matter their level of education they will become more knowledgeable. As health education increase, this will help spread truth, not rumors to stop disease. Thank you! We would like to thank the Task Force for Global Health for this opportunity. It has been an enriching experience collaborating and discussing these current issues. While implementation takes time, the discourse we have had over the past week, will continue as we move forward into our careers. Q & A Prototype of Pocket Information Book What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)?

Neglected Tropical Diseases, affect mostly rural communities with no access to water, proper sanitation and good hygiene. These diseases are also neglected because somtimes their signs and symptoms can take a longer time mostly years.

Examples of NTD: Transmission - Lymphatic Filariasis Bug bites, eating or drinking of non-clean - Onchocerciasis water or food, touching or sharing of - Trachoma personal items. No witchcraft or spells involved. - Soil-transmitted Helminths (STH) (Ascaris, Hookworm, and Whipworm)

- Schistosomiasis LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY

Ifeodan Primary Health SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Centre, Bolorunduro Area, Ifeodan Ejigbo Fever, aches, rash, sores, or Road Osun State, Phone Number: 0703- swelling of the lymph 258-1085, open 24 hours

nodes or at the site of Owu-Ile PHC, Along Oyo infection. Road Owu Ile Phone Number: 0703-135- Other symptoms can take 8275, open 24 hours years to present, like visual impairment, limb swelling, Oke Afin Health Post, Oba's Residence Oke or skin disease Afin, Phone Number: 0806-703-3178, open Monday – Friday, 8am-4pm

Contact

Other local health care facilities: Lymphatic Filariasis https://hfr.health.gov.ng/fa

cilities/hospitals-list RIVER BLINDNESS TREATMENT

Mass drug administration (MDA) FREE to all Taken once or twice a year Delivered to schools, through health posts or by volunteers going door-to-door to hand out the medicines.

PRAZIQUANTEL - FOR SCHISTOSOMIASIS Praziquantel is a drug used as anti-worm Adults and Children: 20 mg/kg medication. It prevents newly hatched insect larvae (worms) from growing or orally three times per day for 1 multiplying in your body. Praziquantel is day, every 4-6 hours used to treat infections caused by Schistosoma worms, which enter the body through skin that has come into contact with contaminated water. PREVENTION

Clean Water programs Better sanitation, clean toilets, clean water, wearing shoes.

Do NOT use same rivers for bathroom, washing clothes and drinking.

• A group can come to provide portable water to community, 1 or 2 bottles per person per visit

• A well is better long-term and cleaner.

• A group can come install toilets away from primary water source.

FREE PROGRAM: WATER ACTION HUB

Water Initiatives Nigeria (WIN) is a non- governmental, non profit organization. As a registered non profit organization in Nigeria, IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY OR TOO WIN works to provide access to safe drinking LATE TO WORK TOWARDS water and proper sanitation and to assist in providing sustainable solutions to water MAKING YOUR COMMUNITY problems in Nigeria through free SAFE FROM DISEASE. consultations, direct projects, awareness campaign, advocacy, capacity building and research. WIN is able to provide simple, effective and affordable solutions to water sanitation problems to people in urban and rural communities in Nigeria. https://wateractionhub.org/organiza HEALTH IS A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION tions/ End of Prototype of Pocket Information Book Meet the Team: Bianca Tenney

Education: • Emory University, BA in Linguistics • Georgia State University, MA in French Linguistics & Culture • Georgia State University, MPH in Epidemiology

Research Interests: Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Health Disparities, Prevention Methods

Experience: Current Virtual Student Federal Service Intern at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Community Guide Office. Meet the Team: Lorna Enow

Education: • University of Buea, BSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology • CITEC Higher Institute of Technology and Management, Professional Diploma in Project Management

Research Interests: Effective humanitarian crisis management.

Experience: Current Program coordinator at AFRITECH HUB, Cameroon. Experience in medical laboratory science. Meet the Team: Oluwadamilare Dauda

Education: • Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Bs. in Zoology • , Msc (in-view) in Parasitology & Vector Biology Research Interests: Malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infectious Disease Epidemiology.

Experience: Research Assistant at Professor Monsuru Adeleke Laboratory, Osun State University. Meet the Team: Vinh Le

Education: • Michigan State University, BA in Hospitality Business • Cornell University, MS in Hotel Administration

Research Interests: Employee Appreciation, How to reduce employee turnover rate in Hospitality industry?, Impact of employee’s delight on business’ sustainability

Experience: Assisting researches about Comprehensive Understanding of “Delight” in Hospitality Businesses sponsored by Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management References Health care facilities: https://hfr.health.gov.ng/facilities/hospitals-list Water Action Hub: https://wateractionhub.org/organizations/ CDC NTDs: https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/newsroom/topics/ntds/index.html