MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Program Tanzania

About Program
Last edit: 2018-11-08 18:48:02.
Welcome all to the Tanzanian Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Programme (NTDCP) official website.The website is a platform for enhancing everyone’s access to information and materials on Neglected Tropical Diseases inside and outside of Tanzania.

The vision of the Government of Tanzania (GoT) is to have a healthy society, with improved social wellbeing that contributes effectively to personal and national development. To realise this vision national health policy and other policies strive to provide a conducive environment for health services delivery that take into account socio-economic changes, global strategies, other national strategic priorities and a advancement in science and technology.

Tanzania is endemic with five Preventive Chemotherapy (PCT) targeted NTDs, namely; Schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted Helminths, Lymphatic Filariasis, Onchocerciasis and Trachoma, as well as zoonotic disease such as Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), Rabies, Tick borne Relapsing fevers, Echinococcosis (hydatid), Taeniosis (cysticercosis), Brucellosis, Plague and Leprosy. A large part of the population is at risk of co-infection with two or more of these diseases. The control and or elimination of these NTDs had been going on for several years. In 2009 the country adopted the WHO initiative to integrate the implementation of activities especially the PCT targeted NTDs. Following this Tanzania established the NTD control programme and its implementation started on the same year.

Schistosomiasis and Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are known to be highly endemic across Tanzania with prevalence of 12.7% to 87.6% for Schistosomiasis and up to 100% for STH in certain ecological settings.  The National Schistosomiasis and Soil-transmitted Helminths Control Programme (NSSCP) was established under the National School Health Program (NSHP) in 2004 to control these diseases. NSHP is a joint partnership between the Ministry of Health,Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC) and Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) established with the support of the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI).

Lymphatic Filariasis is endemic countrywide. The National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme has been operational since 2000. In areas targeted for treatment, all eligible individuals within the community are administered with a combination of Ivermectin (Mectizan) and Albendazole annually.

Onchocerciasis is present in nineteen districts spread in five regions and of Tanzania (Rapid Epidemiological Mapping of Onchocerciasis (REMO) 2006) putting approximately four million people at risk of infection. The control of Onchocerciasis has been established in Tanzania since 1994, with community-based distribution of Ivermectin. Onchocerciasis and LF overlap in all the Onchocerciasis-endemic regions, and there has been some success in integrating the respective interventions.

Active trachoma is endemic in 47 districts (prevalence > 10% among 1-9 year olds). Trachoma control efforts through MOHSW were enhanced by support from ITI in 1999 through Public Private Partnership (PPP). The main aim was to expand trachoma control activities using WHO recommended strategy known as SAFE using Pfizer donated Zithromax® for mass treatment of active infection.

Plague is endemic in three districts namely Lushoto, Karatu and Mbulu. MoHCDGEC in collaboration with research institutions such as National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) have made efforts in prevention and control of plague since 1980 by conducting serological surveillance. MoHSW has been providing rodenticides and insecticides for control of fleas and rodents. Human African Trypanosomes (HAT) or Sleeping Sickness (S.S) is endemic in eight regions. Control of HAT is done with the MoHCDGEC and MoLFD in collaboration with other stakeholders and is largely based on tsetse control using odor-baited, insecticide impregnated targets/screens.

Taenia solium is a zoonotic disease caused by Taenia solium tapeworm. Human acquire Taenia solium tapeworms when eating raw or improperly cooked pork meat infected with cysticerci.

Echinococcosis also known as hydatid disease or alveolar hydatid is zoonotic disease. The transmission cycle of Echinococcosis involves mainly dog- sheep, although dog-cattle dog-pig, dog - goat seem to exist. Echinococcosis caused by E. granulosus mainly affects people in the north, northeast and central parts of Tanzania, where sheep and dog keeping is common.

Leprosy is endemic in all districts in Tanzania. The National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme (NTLP) were established in July 1977. The Programme is charged with the responsibility of preventing and controlling tuberculosis and leprosy in the country until they are no longer major public health problems.

The diagnosis and treatment of leprosy in the country is fully integrated into existing general health services. Tanzania attained the leprosy elimination goal of less than 1 case per 10,000 inhabitants in 2006, and since then the prevalence has continued to decline in most of the districts.  However, some districts still remain with prevalence higher than 1:10,000 populations. The country is still highly committed to eliminating the disease Special emphasis is also added on prevention of disabilities (POD), care and rehabilitation of disabled people affected by leprosy in order to reduce stigma and improve the quality of life.

Rabies is endemic in all districts in Tanzania. The MoHCDGEC and MoLFD in collaboration with other stakeholders have joint efforts in creating community awareness on control and prevention of rabies, mass dog vaccination, ensuring availability of ant rabies vaccine in the country and conduct training on wound and case management.