Pilot baseline data collection and first integrated treatment completed

July to September 2007

Burundi already benefitted from a very strong vertical programme for the control of onchocerciasis (PNLO) run by Dr Norbert Birintanya in partnership with the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC), CBM and the Mectizan Donation Program. Onchocerciasis can be found in 4 provinces (out of 17) in Burundi.

For the last 6 months, the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Control programme built on the experience of the PNLO in order to integrate the monitoring and treatment of 7 NTDs, namely onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis (LF), trachoma and three types of Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STHs) over the whole country.

The first baseline data collection took place from July to September 2007 in the provinces of Bubanza, Cibitoke and Bururi where schistosomiasis and STHs had been previously mapped by the Ministry of Public Health in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (data from 2005).

In these 3 provinces, 12 primary schools were selected from 3 different strata:

• onchocerciasis-, schistosomiasis- and STHs-endemic areas;
• onchocerciasis- and STHs-endemic areas;
• STHs only endemic areas.

In each school, 300 children (100 first years, 100 second years and 100 last years) were randomly selected and demographical, anthropometric and parasitological data on schistosomiasis and STHs were collected.

The preliminary analysis of the data collected allowed for designing the first wave of integrated treatment against onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and STHs. Indeed, over 750 000 Burundians were treated against STHs and onchocerciasis and just under 50 000 of these also received treatment against schistosomiasis.