02867nas a2200361   4500000000100000008004100001653003900042653002000081653001200101653001600113100001400129700001500143700001300158700002200171700001400193700001200207700001800219700001300237700001100250700001200261700001400273700001600287700001600303700001600319700001200335700001100347245011700358856008800475300000700563490000600570520191500576022001402491       2017                            d10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aschistosomiasis10aPoverty10aElimination1 aSavioli L1 aAlbonico M1 aColley D1 aCorrea-Oliveira R1 aFenwick A1 aGreen W1 aKabatereine N1 aKabore A1 aKatz N1 aKlohe K1 aLoVerde P1 aRollinson D1 aStothard RJ1 aTchuenté L1 aWaltz J1 aZhou X00aBuilding a global schistosomiasis alliance: an opportunity to join forces to fight inequality and rural poverty.  uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5363045/pdf/40249_2017_Article_280.pdf  a650 v63 a<p>Schistosomiasis, one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases listed by the World Health Organization, presents a substantial public health and economic burden. Of the 261 million people requiring preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis in 2013, 92% of them lived in sub-Saharan Africa and only 12.7% received preventive chemotherapy. Moreover, in 2010, the WHO reported that schistosomiasis mortality could be as high as 280 000 per year in Africa alone.In May 2012 delegates to the sixty-fifth World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA65.21 that called for the elimination of schistosomiasis, and foresees the regular treatment of at least 75% of school age children in at-risk areas. The resolution urged member states to intensify schistosomiasis control programmes and to initiate elimination campaigns where possible.Despite this, in June 2015, schistosomiasis was indicated to have the lowest level of preventive chemotherapy implementation in the spectrum of neglected tropical diseases. It was also highlighted as the disease most lacking in progress. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that it was also the only NTD with access to drug donations but without a coalition of stakeholders that collaborates to boost commitment and implementation.As a consequence, and to ensure that the WHO NTDs Roadmap Targets of 2012 and World Health Assembly Resolution WHA65.21 are met, the Global Schistosomiasis Alliance (GSA) has been set up. Diverse and representative, the GSA aims to be a partnership of endemic countries, academic and research institutions, international development agencies and foundations, international organizations, non-governmental development organizations, private sector companies and advocacy and resource mobilisation partners. Ultimately, the GSA calls for a partnership to work for the benefit of endemic countries by addressing health inequity and rural poverty.</p>
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