Control of NTDs

In 2006 a simple but profound idea emerged due to the fact that many of these diseases share characteristics, occur in the same areas and affect the same populations. The concept of a “Rapid Impact Package” consisting of five drugs to treat seven NTDs was developed by scientists, enabling synchronised and integrated treatment. The integrated approach has a number of benefits:

• Service delivery is more streamlined.
• Increases treatment coverage – reaching more of the at risk population.
• Cost efficiencies – savings on resources, in logistics (delivery, storage of drugs, etc.) and personnel.
• More efficient delivery of drugs and it prevents duplication of drug delivery.
• Promotes global health partnerships.
• Reduces the demands placed on already limited national health systems and staff.

The Rapid Impact Package is cheap to deliver, as little as 25p/50c per person per year. It covers the cost of drug procurement and distribution as well as training of personnel to administer treatment and supervision.