The Contributions of Onchocerciasis Control and Elimination Programs toward the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

摘要: In 2000, 189 member states of the United Nations (UN) developed a plan for peace and development, which resulted in eight actionable goals known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Since their inception, MDGs have been considered international standard measuring development progress provided blueprint global health policy programming. However, emphasis upon achievement priority benchmarks around “big three” diseases—namely HIV, tuberculosis (TB), malaria—has influenced entities to disproportionately allocate resources. Meanwhile, several tropical diseases that almost exclusively impact poorest poor continue be neglected, despite existence cost-effective feasible methods control or elimination. One such Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), onchocerciasis, more commonly river blindness, is debilitating stigmatizing disease primarily affecting individuals living remote impoverished areas. Onchocerciasis one most successful public campaigns ever launched. addition improving well-being millions individuals, these programs also lead improvements education, agricultural production, economic affected communities. Perhaps pertinent community, though, demonstrated effectiveness facilitating community engagement by allowing communities considerable ownership with regard drug delivery. This paper reviews contributions concentrated efforts eliminate onchocerciasis make achieving select MDGs. The authors hope draw attention policymakers funders importance struggle against model community-directed interventions advance advocate NTDs inclusion post 2015 agenda.