Working with the African Union to drum up support for HAT
Delegates attending the stakeholders' workshop on advocacy for HAT at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 12-14 May 2008
In the area of neglected diseases, there is general agreement that speeding
up the process of sleeping sickness elimination can only be done through the combined efforts of stakeholders,
including researchers, governments of endemic countries, healthcare providers, and communities that are at risk of infection
in endemic areas. In January 2008, FIND signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with the African Union Commission (AUC) to step up efforts being made to eradicate
the disease from sub-Saharan Africa.
The initiative to increase awareness of the problem and find solutions that will guarantee elimination
of HAT is led by the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC) coordination
office of the AUC. PATTEC works with African governments that are members of the AU and encourages them
to unite and mount sustained action to tackle this disease, and all its ramifications, on a continent-wide basis.
While the PATTEC initiative has generated the political goodwill that has contributed immensely to the achievements
in trypanosomiasis control that are visible today, many endemic countries still fail to give adequate priority
to control of the disease in their health sector programmes.
PATTEC, with FIND support, has developed a strategic plan on advocacy for HAT, which will be implemented
over the next three years. Some of the activities include:
Urging governments of endemic countries to prioritize HAT surveillance and control,
by ensuring adequate budgetary allocation
Creating the environment necessary for sustainable introduction of new diagnostic
tests in the public sectors of endemic countries
Increasing community awareness of the disease
The draft strategic plan initially underwent intense scrutiny by a technical advisory group (TAG)
of experts with a diversity of expertise, including disease control, social anthropology, epidemiology,
entomology, and civil society. The more than 40 experts who participated at the stakeholders meeting were mainly
drawn from AU member states that are endemic for African trypanosomiasis, as well as representatives
from international organizations actively involved in HAT control and related activities.
As a result of these efforts, it is expected that there will be
synchronization of current information on HAT and its control
increased index of suspicion for HAT among health workers
improved health infrastructure, diagnosis and surveillance of HAT
enhanced awareness and ownership of the HAT problem at local, national, regional and international levels
a roadmap for national polices on HAT in disease endemic countries
This collaboration will generate critical data to be used by FIND and her partners in developing
a robust global access plan for HAT diagnostics. The plan will be tailored to each situation
and designed to ensure the sustainability of HAT diagnostics, improved management and possible elimination
of the disease.
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