Standing on the bank of the fast-flowing Gambia River in Senegal, Daniel Boakye observed fly collectors as they waited for flies to land. Stationed at the breeding site, the collectors’ job was to capture each one of the small black flies into a glass tube. They would then be sent to the lab to be…
Intestinal worms have held back human prosperity for thousands of years A catalytic investment through The Audacious Project will allow the END Fund to push the boundaries of what’s possible: eliminate intestinal worms and schistosomiasis as a public health problem in select geographies in Africa. Around 100 million people at risk will be treated. …
Schistosomiasis is second only to malaria as the most devastating parasitic disease in tropical countries. Worldwide, there are more than 220 million people requiring treatment for schistosomiasis with over 188 million living in Africa, according to the World Health Organization. (1) Schistosomiasis goes by many names. It is sometimes called bilharzia (after the Dr. Bilharz…
1 out ever 5 people on the planet still require treatment for intestinal worms (1.5 billion people). The most common forms of intestinal worms are hookworm, ascaris (roundworm), and trichuris (whipworm). These parasites have stymied human health for generations, causing pain, stealing nutrients, and stunting both physical and cognitive growth in children, preventing them from…
In 2013, the END Fund was still new to the community of organizations working on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Only officially founded in 2012, our goal was (and still is) to raise private capital in order to help fill the gaps in NTD programs focussing on countries in Africa. By 2013, we were expanding to…
We can’t officially start the new year without reflecting on the past, so we are kicking off 2019 with some of our favorite stories from the last 12 months. From the launch of innovative new treatments to the rising global profile of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), here is what made 2018 one of the best…
2018 was a fantastic year for the neglected tropical disease (NTD) community. With our partners, we treated more than 120 million people with over 230 million treatments valued at approximately $345 million. We helped train more than 600k health workers and provided over 1,700 surgeries for people with advanced stages of trachoma and lymphatic filariasis.
In a historic moment, the Kenyan Ministry of Health piloted a new drug therapy for lymphatic filariasis in November 2018. IDA (ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, albendazole) treatment has the potential to reduce the time to treat and break transmission of lymphatic filariasis (LF) from at least five years down to just two years. Globally, 892 million people…
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 15 — IDA treatment, a new triple drug therapy with the potential to reduce the time to treat and break transmission of lymphatic filariasis (LF) from at least five years down to two years, will be piloted today in a tremendous effort led by the Kenyan Ministry of Health and supported by…
Turned-in eyelashes that scratch the cornea, relentless itching due to millions of worms in the skin, blindness, bloody urine, enlarged scrotums, extremely swollen legs and feet… These are but a few examples of the devastating impact neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have on people. One and a half billion people—almost 20% of the world’s population—need treatment…
