Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37363911›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2023

"Our interventions are still here to support communities during the pandemic": Resuming mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases after COVID-19 implementation delays.

Tikhala Itaye, Sultani Hadley Matendechero, Jean Bosco Mbonigaba, Fikre Seife Gebretsadik, Tuduetso L Molefi, Gilbert Baayenda, Eugene Ruberanziza, Karsor K Kollie, January Zilabumba, Massitan Dembele and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Using Passive Surveillance to Maintain Elimination as a Public Health Problem for Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Model-Based Exploration.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 8 institutions in 8 countries.

Tikhala ItayeDepartment of Global Health, University of Washington, Washington, Seattle, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-3962-1723
Sultani Hadley MatendecheroNational Public Health Institute, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0002-7766-4089
Jean Bosco MbonigabaRwanda NTD and Other Parasitic Diseases Program, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda.
Fikre Seife GebretsadikNTD Programme, Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tuduetso L MolefiNTD Programme, Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana.
Gilbert BaayendaNTD Programme, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Eugene RuberanzizaThe END Fund, New York, New York City, United States of America.
Karsor K KollieNTD Programme, Ministry of Health, Monrovia, Liberia.
January ZilabumbaTechnical Advisor, Ministry of Health, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Massitan DembeleNational Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program, Ministry of Health, Bamako, Mali.
Kebede DeribeExpanded Special Project on the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization -African Region, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
Elia Muhima AdrienExpanded Special Project on the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization -African Region, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
Maria Rebollo PoloExpanded Special Project on the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization -African Region, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
Kikundi African NTD Program Managers Community of Practice
World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa · CGMinistry of Health · UGMinistry of Health · BWMinistry of Health · KEMinistry of Health and Social Welfare · LRRwanda Biomedical Center · RWUniversity of Washington · USZanzibar University · TZ

Funding

Wellcome Trust 201900/Z/16/ZWorld Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted essential health services, including those provided by national neglected tropical disease (NTD) programs. Most mass drug administration (MDA) programs were postponed for 6-12 months following World Health Organization guidance released in April 2020 to temporarily halt NTD programs and launch necessary COVID-19 precautions. While NTD-endemic countries have since resumed MDA activities, it is critical to understand implementers' perspectives on the key challenges and opportunities for program relaunch, as these insights are critical for maximizing gains towards disease control and elimination during public health emergencies. Using data from using online surveys and focus group discussions, this mixed-methods study sought perspectives from Ministry of Health NTD Program Managers and implementing partners from non-governmental organizations working in sub-Saharan Africa. Data analysis revealed that findings converged around several main themes: disruptions for MDA programs included resource shortages due to prioritization of pandemic response, challenges adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols, and community hesitancy due to coronavirus transmission fears. Identified solutions for restarting MDA programs focused on adapting intervention delivery and packaging to minimize disease transmission, embracing technology to optimize intervention planning and delivery, and identifying opportunities to promote program integration between pandemic response strategies and NTD campaign delivery. Findings identifies key challenges due to disruptions to NTD program delivery and provide strategic recommendations for endemic countries to build resilient programs that can continue to perform during and beyond global pandemics.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mass Drug AdministrationFocus GroupsHumansNeglected DiseasesPandemicsPublic Health

Identifiers

PMID37363911
PMCPMC10328222
OpenAlexW4382139105

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.