Youths lead fight against neglected tropical diseases

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Senior Health Reporter

YOUTHS in Zimbabwe are leading the fight against neglected tropical diseases by advocating for the use of digital technologies to ensure the diseases do not continue to pose a threat to millions of people.

These diseases, often caused by parasites, bacteria, viruses, or fungi, can have devastating health, social, and economic consequences, particularly for children and young people. The stigma and discrimination associated with NTDs can further exacerbate their impact.

Mr John Dongo, a youth champion with Youth Combating NTDs (YCNTDs) said young people had a crucial role in raising awareness and mobilising communities.

“The training and support of young NTDs champions accelerate demand generation and resource mobilisation for NTDs work. When looking at Zimbabwe, we are a youthful country, and our leaders should embrace the opportunity to meaningfully engage and collaborate with young people in the fight against NTDs. These Youth Champions can raise awareness about NTDs with their peers in schools, community centres, and on social media platforms,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Dongo said, young people could engage with local parliamentarians and other leadership to bring the youth perspective and influence policy in a way that ensures that NTD interventions are inclusive and beneficial for all civil society.

He said digital health tools and technologies could enhance access to information, diagnosis, and treatment for NTDs. This could be done using low-cost and highly accessible technologies to disseminate information.

 “One of the ways we can leverage platforms like WhatsApp to improve access to NTDs-related information is through the use of WhatsApp chatbots which can be trained to provide relevant and vetted information. In addition, telemedicine platforms are useful in connecting patients in remote communities to healthcare professionals, allowing patients to receive medical advice and referrals without travelling long distances,” Mr Dongo added.

To ensure that digital solutions for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are accessible to all, he said co-ordination among different government ministries, public-private partnerships, and the utilisation of other stakeholder groups was vital to facilitate the development and distribution of accessible digital health solutions.

However, these interventions required an understanding of each community’s unique needs.

“Zimbabwe, like any other African country, is diverse and requires affordable solutions, tailored to the diversity of the country, and leave no one behind. If done right, these interventions can even open new opportunities for the much-needed employment of our youth,” Mr Dongo said.