Health and Education Officials’ Perspectives on the Impact of Typhoon Haiyan on Mass Drug Administration for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections in the Philippines

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Eva Chernoff ◽  
Gina Silverstein ◽  
John Paul Caesar R delos Trinos ◽  
Peter Veldkamp ◽  
Judy C Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Administration ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Simple Procedure ◽  
Health Department ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Objectives: In the Philippines, morbidity control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections is done through mass drug administration (MDA) of anthelmintics to school-age children (SAC). In 2013, the Philippines was devastated by the deadliest cyclone ever recorded, Typhoon Haiyan. The study aimed to understand the impact of Typhoon Haiyan on the MDA of anthelmintics to SAC in the provinces of Capiz and Iloilo in the Philippines from the perspectives of local health and education officials. Methods: The study was conducted in the municipalities of Panay and Pilar in Capiz and the municipalities of Estancia and Sara in Iloilo, areas that were devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. Qualitative, semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with 16 total participants, which included officials of the Department of Health, Department of Education, and concerned local government units. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded in an open, iterative manner. Codes were reviewed to identify patterns and themes. Results: Participants described the following themes: (1) their perception that the typhoon had no effect on the MDA program or on resources necessary to complete the program; (2) the program’s simple design allowed for 1-time administration to a pre-assembled population; (3) the program allowed a sense of community cohesiveness; (4) the program served as a vehicle for altruism, particularly regarding helping needy children, in this time of calamity. Conclusions: Our informants perceived that the MDA program in Region VI was not affected by Typhoon Haiyan. They attributed the resilience to the program’s simple procedure, attitudes of altruism, program importance, and community cohesiveness. Despite Typhoon Haiyan’s mass destruction of infrastructure and livelihood leading to incredible challenges, mobilization of the community allowed for the continuation and successful implementation of the MDA program. The experience of Region VI may serve as a model for other low- and middle-income countries prone to natural disasters.

scholarly journals A Cross-sectional Analysis of Facebook Comments to Study Public Perception of the Mass Drug Administration Program in the Philippines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan V. Labana ◽  
Veeranoot Nissapatorn ◽  
Kristel Joy S. Cada ◽  
Khristine L. Sandoval
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
News Story ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Cross Sectional

Mass Drug Administration (MDA) of albendazole is being implemented in the Philippines to eliminate soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) among school-age children (SAC). The first round of MDA for the school year 2019-2020 was suspended in the province of Surigao del Norte due to a reported death of a student after deworming. It was broadcasted on a national television and the story was then posted on Facebook. We used structured and simple nature of social media research to study public perception of the MDA program after the controversial issue in the Philippines. The news story was assessed, and the Facebook comments were analyzed. A large portion of the Facebook comments expressed a declining trust of the Filipinos toward MDA. The negative impact could be attributed to the public-initiated discussion and sharing of comments with no solid evidence in Facebook. This study showed a possible threat to the successful implementation of the program if not properly managed. The Department of Health (DOH) should be able to cope with the developing landscape of public perception during the era of social media.

scholarly journals Domains of transmission and association of community, school, and household sanitation with soil-transmitted helminth infections among children in coastal Kenya

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E Oswald ◽  
Katherine E Halliday ◽  
Carlos Mcharo ◽  
Stefan Witek-McManus ◽  
Stella Kepha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Administration ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Contextual Effects ◽  
Home School ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Hookworm Infection ◽  
Coastal Kenya ◽  
The Impact ◽  
School Sanitation ◽  
At Home

AbstractIntroductionFew studies have simultaneously examined the role of sanitation conditions at the home, school, and community on soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection. We examined the contribution of each domain that children inhabit (home, village, and school) and estimated the association of sanitation in each domain with STH infection.MethodsUsing data from 4,104 children from Kwale County, Kenya, who reported attending school, we used logistic regression models with cross-classified random effects to calculate measures of general contextual effects and estimate associations of village, school, and household sanitation with STH infection.FindingsWe found reported use of a sanitation facility by households was associated with reduced prevalence of hookworm infection but not with reduced prevalence of T. trichiura infection. School sanitation coverage > 3 toilets per 100 pupils was associated with lower prevalence of hookworm infection. School sanitation was not associated with T. trichiura infection. Village sanitation coverage > 81% was associated with reduced prevalence of T. trichiura infection, but no protective association was detected for hookworm infection. General contextual effects represented by residual heterogeneity between village and school domains had comparable impact upon likelihood of hookworm and T. trichiura infection as sanitation coverage in either of these domains.ConclusionFindings support the importance of providing good sanitation facilities to support mass drug administration in reducing the burden of STH infection in children.Author SummaryInfection by whipworm and hookworm results from either ingestion of eggs or larvae or through skin exposure to larvae. These eggs and larvae develop in suitable soils contaminated with openly-deposited human faeces. Safe disposal of faeces should reduce transmission of these soil-transmitted helminths (STH), yet evidence of the impact of sanitation on STH transmission remains limited. We used data collected during a large, community-wide survey to measure prevalence of STH infections in coastal Kenya in 2015 to examine the relationship between sanitation conditions at home, school, and village and the presence of STH infection among 4,104 children who reported attending schools. We found that sanitation access at home and school sanitation coverage, but not the overall level of village sanitation coverage, was protective against hookworm infection. In contrast, only high village sanitation coverage, but not home or school sanitation, was protective against whipworm infection. Current STH control strategies emphasise periodic deworming through mass drug administration (MDA) of at-risk populations, including school-age children. Our findings highlight the need for continued efforts, alongside MDA, to extend access to good sanitation facilities at homes, schools, and across communities.

scholarly journals Feasibility of onchocerciasis elimination using a “test-and-not-treat” strategy in Loa loa co-endemic areas

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J Blok ◽  
Joseph Kamgno ◽  
Sebastien D Pion ◽  
Hugues C Nana-Djeunga ◽  
Yannick Niamsi-Emalio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Events ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Treatment Duration ◽  
Loa Loa ◽  
Serious Adverse Events ◽  
Endemic Areas ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Main Strategy

Abstract Background Mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin is the main strategy for onchocerciasis elimination. Ivermectin is generally safe but associated with serious adverse events in individuals with high Loa loa microfilarial densities (MFD). Therefore, ivermectin MDA is not recommended in areas where onchocerciasis is hypo-endemic and L. loa is co-endemic. To eliminate onchocerciasis in those areas, a test-and-not-treat (TaNT) strategy has been proposed. We investigated whether onchocerciasis elimination can be achieved using TaNT and the required duration. Methods We used the individual-based model ONCHOSIM to predict the impact of TaNT on onchocerciasis microfilarial (mf) prevalence. We simulated pre-control mf prevalence levels from 2-40%. The impact of TaNT was simulated under varying levels of participation, systematic non-participation and exclusion from ivermectin due to high L. loa MFD. For each scenario, we assessed the time to elimination, defined as bringing onchocerciasis mf prevalence below 1.4%. Results In areas with 30-40% pre-control mf prevalence, the model predicted that it would take between 14 and 16 years to bring the mf prevalence below 1.4% using conventional MDA, assuming 65% participation. TaNT would increase the time to elimination by up to 1.5 years, depending on the level of systematic non-participation and the exclusion rate. At lower exclusion rates (≤2.5%), the delay would be less than six months. Conclusions Our model predicts that onchocerciasis can be eliminated using TaNT in L. loa co-endemic areas. The required treatment duration using TaNT would be only slightly longer than in areas with conventional MDA, provided that participation is good.

scholarly journals The impact of mass drug administration expansion to low onchocerciasis prevalence settings in case of connected villages

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. e0009011
Author(s):  
Anneke S. de Vos ◽  
Wilma A. Stolk ◽  
Luc E. Coffeng ◽  
Sake J. de Vlas
Keyword(s):  
Intermediate Host ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Individual Based Model ◽  
Low Prevalence ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Local Transmission

Background The existence of locations with low but stable onchocerciasis prevalence is not well understood. An often suggested yet poorly investigated explanation is that the infection spills over from neighbouring locations with higher infection densities. Methodology We adapted the stochastic individual based model ONCHOSIM to enable the simulation of multiple villages, with separate blackfly (intermediate host) and human populations, which are connected through the regular movement of the villagers and/or the flies. With this model we explore the impact of the type, direction and degree of connectedness, and of the impact of localized or full-area mass drug administration (MDA) over a range of connected village settings. Principal findings In settings with annual fly biting rates (ABR) below the threshold needed for stable local transmission, persistence of onchocerciasis prevalence can well be explained by regular human traffic and/or fly movement from locations with higher ABR. Elimination of onchocerciasis will then theoretically be reached by only implementing MDA in the higher prevalence area, although lingering infection in the low prevalence location can trigger resurgence of transmission in the total region when MDA is stopped too soon. Expanding MDA implementation to the lower ABR location can therefore shorten the duration of MDA needed. For example, when prevalence spill-over is due to human traffic, and both locations have about equal populations, then the MDA duration can be shortened by up to three years. If the lower ABR location has twice as many inhabitants, the reduction can even be up to six years, but if spill-over is due to fly movement, the expected reduction is less than a year. Conclusions/Significance Although MDA implementation might not always be necessary in locations with stable low onchocerciasis prevalence, in many circumstances it is recommended to accelerate achieving elimination in the wider area.

scholarly journals Can direct smear results that are routinely collected at health centre level be used for monitoring the impact of mass drug administration with praziquantel on schistosomiasis in Burundi? A preliminary assessment.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul BIZIMANA ◽  
Katja POLMAN ◽  
Giuseppina ORTU ◽  
Meryam KRIT ◽  
Frédéric NSABIYUMVA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Administration ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
Routine Data ◽  
Direct Smear ◽  
Incidence Data ◽  
Intestinal Schistosomiasis ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health Centre Level

Abstract Background : Intestinal schistosomiasis is still a public health problem in Burundi. Since 2008, annual mass drug administration with praziquantel have been rolled out in 11 endemic districts. The national programme relies on school-based surveys with Kato-Katz to monitor the impact of mass drug administration. We explored whether routine data on intestinal schistosomiasis as determined by direct fecal smears at health centre level could be used. Methods : From the Burundian National Health Information System, we collected routine incidence data on intestinal schistosomiasis as determined by direct smear examination in all 45 sanitary districts between 2011 and 2015. A temporal trends analysis was performed using a mixed negative binomial regression. Sanitary districts with mass drug administration campaigns with praziquantel (n=11) were compared with those without (n=34). In addition, prevalence data on intestinal schistosomiasis based on Kato-Katz results from a school-based national mapping in 2014 were compared with the incidence data in health centres based on direct smear results, in the same 45 sanitary districts. Findings : In the 11 sanitary districts applying mass drug administration with praziquantel, the incidence rate decreased significantly for the years 2014 (β 2014 =-0.826, p=0.010) and 2015 (β 2015 =-1.294, p<0.001) and for the five-year period (β=-0.286, p<0.001), whereas in the 34 districts where mass drug administration was not delivered, there was no significant decrease over time (β=-0.087, p=0.219). In most of the 45 sanitary districts, the low prevalences based on Kato-Katz in schoolchildren were confirmed by low incidence rates based on direct smear in the health centres. Conclusions : National Health Information System surveillance data, based on routinely collected direct smear results at health centre level, may be able to monitor the impact of mass drug administration with praziquantel on intestinal schistosomiasis in Burundi. Control and elimination of intestinal schistosomiasis call for integration of adequate diagnosis and treatment into routine activities of primary health care facilities, as recommended by the World Health Organization since more than 20 years. When moving towards elimination, more sensitive tests, such as the Point-of-care Circulating Cathodic Antigen assay are desirable. Keywords : Direct smear, Health centre, Mass drug administration, Monitoring, Praziquantel, Routine data, Schistosomiasis, Burundi

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