Launch of the 1st integrated mass drug administration campaign against NTDs in Burundi

On the 23rd of June 2008, the Burundian integrated NTD Control programme launched the first integrated mass drug administration campaign against neglected tropical diseases

On the 23rd of June 2008, the Burundian integrated NTD Control programme launched the first integrated mass drug administration (MDA) campaign against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) from the health centre in Nyanza-Lac, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika.

The launch was chaired by representatives of the local administrative and health authorities. The directors of the NTD and onchocerciasis control programmes, as well as two representatives from the NTD Control programme partners, namely Ms Kari Stoever from the Global Network for NTD Control and Dr Marie-Alice Deville for SCI gave speeches for the benefit of the journalists and the population gathered on the day. The speeches were interspersed with dances and local music.

This second campaign was integrated with the Semaine Santé Mère et Enfant (SSME; Mother and Child Health Week), an initiative designed by UNICEF and implemented by the Ministry of Health (MoH). In Burundi, the SSME has been delivering bed-nets, micro-nutrients, vitamin A, vaccinations and Mebendazole against STHs to pre-school children and pregnant women since 2003.

In 2007, the creation of the Burundian integrated NTD Control programme induced a positive momentum, which led UNICEF and the MoH to pledge to implement the SSME twice yearly, in June and December.

June 2008 saw the first instalment of the new SSME strategy. Indeed, Albendazole against soil-transmitted helminths and Praziquantel against schistosomiasis were added to the list of products distributed during the June SSME so that now:

• Albendazole/Mebendazole, against STHs, is distributed twice yearly, via the community health centres and schools, to all the children aged 1-14 years-old and women of child-bearing age, across the country;
• Praziquantel, against schistosomiasis, is distributed once a year by the school-teachers to all the school-enrolled children aged 7-14 years-old in the 18 endemic districts. It is also distributed via the community health centres to all the children age 5-7 years-old and all the non-enrolled school-age children (7-14 years-old).