Rwanda has reaffirmed its dedication to eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and leprosy, celebrating World NTDs and Leprosy Day with a renewed focus on eradicating these persistent public health challenges.
The event took place in Mwogo Sector, Bugesera District, an area still affected by bilharzia (schistosomiasis) due to open defecation in wetlands used for rice cultivation.
Globally, an estimated 1.7 billion people are affected by at least one NTD.
In Rwanda, nine NTDs are prevalent, with intestinal worms being the most widespread, affecting 39 per cent of the population, particularly adults aged 16 and above at 46.1 per cent.
Since 2007, Rwanda has made significant strides in combating NTDs through its NTDs Programme.
Since 2008, over 65 million treatments for intestinal worms and schistosomiasis have been administered to children aged 1-15 years.
Deworming and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) awareness initiatives reduced Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) prevalence from 66 per cent in 2008 to 39 per cent in 2020 among school-aged children.
Additionally, collaborative efforts led to the elimination of sleeping sickness, validated by WHO in April 2022.
To achieve its goal of eliminating NTDs by 2030, Rwanda is adopting new strategies, including expanding mass drug administration based on local contexts, targeting NTD hotspots, and enhancing WASH coordination.
Other measures include snail control to combat schistosomiasis and increasing community engagement in sanitation practices.
The Bugesera celebrations emphasized bilharzia awareness through hygiene education and treatment.
The event also recognized contributions from cooperative members and the Rwanda NGO Forum on AIDS and Health Promotion (RNGOF) in improving WASH infrastructure to prevent bilharzia spread.
These initiatives led to the construction of seven toilets in the 700-hectare Rurambi swamp, benefiting over 2,000 residents, mainly farmers, who previously lacked sanitation facilities.
“It was difficult to find a latrine, and we naturally relieved ourselves near the swamp. This allowed us to continue farming without leaving the fields,” said Alice Mukamana, a rice farmer. Many farmers expressed relief with the new facilities but called for more toilets in each rice field to ease access.
Bugesera Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Yvette Imanishimwe, urged residents to adopt better hygiene practices, emphasizing that poor sanitation remains the primary cause of NTDs. She commended partners for constructing sanitation infrastructure in Mwogo wetland, aiding cooperative farmers in preventing infections.
Dr. Albert Tuyishime, Head of the Institute of HIV/AIDS Disease Prevention and Control (IHDPC) at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), highlighted the impact of poor hygiene, lack of knowledge, and poverty in perpetuating NTDs.
“Even though these NTDs are preventable, our efforts to combat them are still insufficient. This is why we continue to see cases. We need to double our efforts so that we can eliminate NTDs within the next two years—it is achievable,” he said.
Dr. Tuyishime reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating NTDs by 2030, stressing medication accessibility, research on sporadic cases, and hygiene promotion.
“We have hope that we can eliminate some of these diseases, just as we did with sleeping sickness, which WHO declared eradicated in Rwanda. The same strategies we used for sleeping sickness can be applied to other diseases,” he said.
Dr. Jules Mugabo Semahore, Head of Malaria and NTDs at WHO Rwanda, assured continued WHO support, recognizing Rwanda’s exemplary efforts in tackling NTDs.
As Rwanda advances its efforts to eliminate NTDs, the focus remains on enhancing hygiene, expanding medical interventions, and strengthening community-driven solutions to ensure a healthier future for all.
