Mass drug administration of Albendazole in conjunction with the launch of the Kenyan national plan for NTD control and elimination.

“Africa bears 50% of the global burden of neglected tropical diseases.” Quoted from an article published in Africa Science News, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are perpetuating the cycle of poverty,  prohibiting African populations from reaching their potential. In Kenya alone, 1 in 2 people suffer from NTDs. Recognizing this burden, the Kenyan government has launched a five-year long national plan to address NTDs such as schistosomiasis, trachoma, leishmaniasis, intestinal worms, elephantiasis and Hydatid disease. Kenya is the first African country to launch such a plan, which will bring the country closer to becoming free from preventable diseases. Eliminating NTDs in  Kenya is also in line with Millennium Development Goal 6, along with achieving Vision 2030, which aims to turn Kenya into a middle-income nation by 2030.

Read more about Kenya’s national NTD plan on Africa Science News.