ES PEN 20
ANNUALR EP ORT

Universal Health Coverage/Communicable
and Non-communicable Diseases

22TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................

IV
ABBREVIATIONS
1.
Executive summary...................................................................................................101
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
2.
Context.......................................................................................................................303
CONTEXT
2.1 Major progress in NTD interventions in 2022........................................................3
Major Progress in NTD Interventions in 2021
04
3. ESPEN strategic framework 2021–2025 and the WHO NTD 2030 Road map......5
ESPEN STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 2021-2025& THE
NTD 2030 ROADMAP05
3.1
KeyWHO
achievements
in 2022...................................................................................7
A/ Keyachievementsby
in 2021
by disease06
3.2
Achievements
disease...................................................................................9
Lymphatic filariasis
06
3.1 Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis..........................................................9
Onchocerciasis
07
3.2.2 Soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis.........................................13
Schistosomiasis and STH
08
3.2.3
Trachoma.............................................................................................................17
B/ Spotlighton Botswana -progress on STH control
09
3.3
Strengthening
information
C/ Spotlighton SCH
communitymanagement
data analysissystem................................................18
10
Trachoma
12
3.4
Supporting countries in submitting reliable data to WHO.................................19
D/ ESPEN
Strengthening
information management system
144.
NTD Portal...................................................................................................22
E/ Supporting countries in submitting reliable data to WHO
16
4.1 Updating cartography of implementation units.................................................23
ESPEN NTD Portal
18
4.2: Progress and forecast analytical dashboards.....................................................24
19
A/ Tracing history of implementation units districting over the years
5.
ESPEN Collect.........................................................................................................25
19
B/ Updating
cartography of implementation units
6.
ESPEN JAP19
C/ Progress
andimport
forecasttool.........................................................................................28
analytical dashboards
20
ESPEN
Collect
7.
ESPEN
analytics......................................................................................................29
22
ESPEN
JAP Import
toolgaps for the completion of treatment and surveys..........31
7.1
Identifying
funding
23
ESPEN Analytics
7.2: Strengthening supply chain management...........................................................31
24
A/ Setting up a Country Health Information Platform (CHIP)
8. Partnerships and coordination...........................................................................34
B/ Identifying funding gap due to the early interruption of the24
ASCEND project
C/ Applying modelled data to address programmatic challenges

25

D/ A strong partnership for a strong data system

25

E/ Strengthening Supply Chain Management

26

PARTNERSHIPS AND COORDINATION

28

Fourth Meeting of NTD Programme and Data Managers

28

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

29

ABBREVIATIONSABBREVIATIONS...................................................................

ASCEND

Accelerating the Sustainable Control and Elimination of Neglected
Tropical Diseases

NGDOs

Non-governmental Development Organizations

AWP

Annual work plan form

NCC

Neurocysticercosis

CBM

Christian Blind Mission

NPO

National Professional Oﬀicer

CAR

Central African Republic (CAR)

NTD

Neglected Tropical Diseases

CDDs

Community drug distributors

OEM

Onchocerciasis elimination mapping

CHWs

Community health workers

ONCHO

Onchocerciasis

ASCENDthe Sustainable
Control Researchand Eliminationof NeglectedTropicalTropical Diseases
COR-NTDs Accelerating
Coalition
for Operationalon Neglected
Diseases
AfriSMC

Africa Science Media Centre

AWP

annual work plan form

DEC

DRC
CBM

Diethylcarbamazine

Democratic
Republic of the Congo
ChristianBlind Mission

CAR
DRG

CentralAfrican Republic(CAR)
Trachoma
Dossier
Review Group

CDDs
EPIRF

community drug distributors

ESPEN
COR-NTDs

Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases
Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases

Epidemiological reporting form

CHWs

community health workers

EUs
DEC

Evaluation units
diethylcarbamazine

DRC
FTS
DRG

GTMP

Democratic
Republic
the Congo
Filariasis
TestofStrip
Trachoma Dossier Review GroupThe Global Trachoma mapping project

EPIRF

epidemiological reporting form

EUs
HKI

evaluation
Helenunits
Keller International

GSA
ESPEN
FTS

HQ

The Global
Schistosomiasis
Alliance
ExpandedSpecial Project
for the Eliminationof Neglected Tropical Diseases
Filariasis Test Strip

Headquarters

PC-NTDs

Non-governmental Development Organizations

NCC

neurocysticercosis

NTD
RPRG

neglected
tropicalProgrammediseases
Regional
Review Group for Preventive Chemotherapy

EPHP

PZQ
NPO
OEM

SAFE
ONCHO
strategy

RPRG

SCM

school-age
childrenStandard
operating procures

SCH

STH

IUs
JRF

implementation
units Form
Joint Reporting

ITIJAPJAP

JRSM

Implementation units

Joint Application
package
International
Trachoma Initiative
Joint Application Package

Joint Request for Selected Medicines

JRF

joint reporting form

KOICA
LF

KoreaLymphatic
Internationalfilariasis
Cooperation Agency

KOICA
JRSM
LF

LSHTM

Cooperation Agency
JointKorea
RequestInternationalfor Selected Medicines
lymphatic filariasis

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

SOP
TAS

standard
operating procures
Transmission
assessment surveys

TEC

soil-transmitted helminthiasis

Trachoma Expert Committee

São Tomé and Príncipe

TEC
TIS

Trachoma
Expert Committee
Trachoma
Impact Survey

TEMF
ToT

trachoma elimination monitoring form

TEMF
TAS

Trachoma
Evaluationtransmission
assessment
surveysand Monitoring Form
Training of trainers

TIS

Trachoma Impact Survey

ToT

training of trainers

UHC
UN

universal
healthcoverage
UnitedNations

TT

TTUHC
UN

USAID

Trachomatous Trichiasis

Universal
health coveragetrachomatous
trichiasis
United Nations

The United States Agency for International Development

USAID

The United States Agency for International Development

WCOs
WCOs

WHO WHOcountrycountry
offices oﬀices

WASH
WASH

MoH
MoH

Ministryof Health
Ministryof Health

WHO-AFRO

MMDP
MMDP

morbidity management and disability prevention

Morbidity management and disability prevention

São Toméand Príncipe
Sustainable
Development
Goals

STP

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

drug administration
massMass
drug administration

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis

supply chain management

LSHTM

MDA
MDA

schistosomiasis

SCM

headquarters

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

Supply chain management

SAC
SOP

HQITI

IUs

Regional Programme Review Group for Preventive Chemotherapy
Surgery for TT, Antibiotics to clear bacterial infection, Facial cleanliness and Environmental
Sustainable
Development
improvement
to reducetransmission Goals

STH

IHME

Schoolchildrenelimination
as aagepublichealth problem

SAFE stratSDGs
egy

HelenInstituteKeller Internationalfor Health Metrics and Evaluation

International Trachoma Initiative

Surgery for TT, Antibiotics to clear bacterial infection, Facial cleanliness andEnvironmental improvement to reduce transmission

onchocerciasis

praziquantel
Schistosomiasis

HKI
IHME

Ivermectin, DEC, and Albendazole

onchocerciasis elimination mapping

PZQ
SCH

STP
SDGs

IDA

Praziquantel
national
professional officer

preventive chemotherapy neglected tropical diseases

SAC
EPHP

The Global Trachoma Mapping Project

Ivermectin,
DEC, and
Albendazole
The Global
Schistosomiasis
Alliance

Elimination as a public health problem

PC-NTDs

GTMP

IDA
GSA

Preventive chemotherapy neglected tropical diseases

NGDOs

WHO-AFRO

WHO-EMRO

WHO-EMRO

sanitationand hygiene
water,Water,
sanitationand hygiene

World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa

World Health Organization Regional Oﬀice for Africa

World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean

World Health Organization Regional Oﬀice for the Eastern Mediterranean

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The year 2022 witnessed the initiation of plans by WHO/AFRO
to review and realign their NTD programmes with the newly
launched second WHO Road map for NTDs, entitled ‘Ending theneglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a roadmap for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030’. However, 2022 also faced ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19
pandemic, which disrupted normal business operations, albeit with minimal impact. In addition, funding for the
Expanded Special Project on Elimination of Neglected Tropical Disease (ESPEN) dropped significantly due in part todecreased contributions from major donors such as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
ESPEN has continued to work with country programmes and partners to ensure that everyone stays on track to meet
the targets set out in the new NTD Road map for 2021–2030.
ESPEN’s major achievements in 2022 include:

Scaling up

Over 3.7 million people in 12 countries were reached through Mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns. Specifically,
five countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, and São Tomé and
Príncipe (STP) conducted MDA for lymphatic filariasis; DRC, Burundi, and Chad for onchocerciasis; Botswana, Kenya,
Liberia, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Somalia for schistosomiasis (SCH); and Burundi, Congo, Cabo Verde, Zambia,
South Sudan, and Somalia for soil-transmitted helminths (STH). Combined SCH/STH MDA campaigns were conductedin Kenya and South Sudan.
Baseline surveys to determine the endemicity of trachoma were conducted in Angola and Botswana. The surveys
confirmed that Angola is endemic for trachoma while Botswana was not, with the former planning for implementationof MDA while the latter prepared dossiers for certification as trachoma free.

Scaling down

Two countries Togo and Malawi were certified for the elimination of trachoma, while Niger and Algeria submitted
dossiers for certification of elimination of onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis respectively. As part of impact
assessments, three countries, Burundi, Cameroon, and Nigeria conducted onchocerciasis pre-stop-MDA and or
onchocerciasis elimination surveys; while four, Comoros, DRC, Nigeria, and Zambia conducted pre-transmission
assessment surveys for lymphatic filariasis. Three countries, Congo, Guinea, and Mali received technical support andcapacity building for the epidemiological mapping for schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths.

Strengthening the information management system

The ESPEN Data Portal was expanded and contains over 15 000 disease-specific maps, including data from implemented
activities. These maps provide valuable information on the five preventive chemotherapy NTDs. Disease-specificdashboards display endemicity and mass drug administration interventions by country. Forecast dashboards havebeen created, projecting treatment and survey needs until 2030. The ESPEN Joint Application Package import tool
was operationalized allowing an online submission and review of the JAP reports. Nearly 700 JAP were reviewed andvalidated and made the publicly available to stakeholders for transparency and accountability.
The ESPEN Portal was accessed by 14 383 users from 174 countries, including 55 from Africa, during 34 272 sessions.
While the ESPEN Collect tool for surveys was used for surveys in 5,845 sites in 19 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad,
Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi,
Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Improving the effective use of donated medicines through enhanced supply chain
management

CONTEXTIn 2022, allocations of 585 653 000 tablets of albendazole (ALB), mebendazole (MEB), praziquantel (PZQ), anddiethylcarbamazine (DEC), comprising 67 percent of the total request, for 37 of the 44 countries requesting wereapproved. This prevented loss of the equivalent of US$ 20 million in medicines which would not have distributed
due to lack of funds. Additional savings of US$ 15.1 million was made as of March 2022 due efficient use of the Joint
Application Package system to forecast medicines for donation.

Partnership and coordination

Ten countries developed masterplans in 2022 with technical support from ESPEN. Of these, four were launched;
Angola, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Senegal, while six would be launched in the following year – Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea,
Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Togo. Despite the achievements and coming at the tail end of the Covid-19
pandemic, the financing to ESPEN, totalling US$ 9.7 was the lowest since inception. This is 23 percent lower than total
funds received in 2021. Only 48 percent of the budget for the year was realized and this had implications for humanresource and the capacity to provide efficient technical support to countries. Overall, there was a reduction in fundingfor each strategic objective compared with 2021, except for strategic objective on scaling down, which received 67
percent more funding, totalling US$1.8million, compared with US$ 1.1million in 2021. On coordination, programme
review meetings were convened for onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis and trachoma. ESPEN participated in global
and regional partnership meetings convened by partners and initiated plans for face-to-face meetings of the steeringcommittee and regional programme review groups in 2023.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a groupof 20 diverse conditions that primarily affectimpoverished communities in tropical andsubtropical regions. These diseases have severe
health, social, and economic consequences,
particularly for women and children. Despite
affecting over one billion people, NTDs receivea disproportionately low amount of global
health-care funding, with only 0.6% allocatedto their control. Africa bears a significant
burden, accounting for 40% of global NTD
cases. NTDs lead to blindness, disfigurement,
anaemia, malnutrition, and other debilitating
health effects, trapping communities in a cycleof poverty.

ESPEN focuses on the five most prevalent NTDs that canbe controlled through preventive chemotherapy (PCNTDs): lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, soil-transmitted
helminthiasis, schistosomiasis, and trachoma. ESPEN
collaborates with countries to accelerate the elimination of these
diseases by mapping disease burden, efficiently planning anddelivering treatments, strengthening supply chain managementof donated medicines, supporting disease-specific evaluations,and utilizing quality data for evidence-based decision-making.
ESPEN’s mandate covers 52 countries, including 47 in the WHO
African Region, 45 of which require preventive chemotherapy
for at least one NTD. Mauritius and Seychelles do not require
PC. In addition, ESPEN covers five countries in the WHO Eastern
Mediterranean Region: Djibouti, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan (all in
Africa), and Yemen (outside Africa).
Through its comprehensive approach, ESPEN strives to makea significant impact in controlling and eliminating PC-NTDs,
ultimately improving the health and well-being of affected
communities in Africa and beyond.

Major progress in NTD interventions in 2022
ESPEN has been preparing for the new decade of PC-NTDs in collaboration with many regional and international
partners to address the need for evidence-based decision-making, which is the core of the new NTD road map. In
2022, ESPEN strengthened and expanded the NTD Data Portal to provide new tools and resources to enhance andfacilitate data collection, reporting, and analytics for the NTD country programmes and stakeholders. Among otherfeatures, the ESPEN NTD Portal includes projections of the treatment and survey needs at both the implementation
unit and country levels. These projections are underpinned by some assumptions about the outcome of the plannedinterventions, the expected MDA effective coverage and the success of assessment surveys. ESPEN is planning to
improve the accuracy of these projections by incorporating information from mathematical models.
The ESPEN team also worked tirelessly with the NTD community to mitigate disruptions of PC-NTD activities causedby the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the early interruption of UK FCDO funding in 2021 was a major setback for
the WHO African Region and its NTD programmes, benefiting from this international aid in the African Region. The UK
FCDO support was provided through the “Accelerating the Sustainable Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical
Diseases” (ASCEND) programme, designed to support PC-NTD interventions in 19 countries and 1,858 implementation
units in the WHO African Region and Sudan. This programme also included interventions against leishmaniasis.
ESPEN collaborated with the NTD team at WHO headquarters, ASCEND programme implementers (Sightsavers and

2

3

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Crown Agents), and other partners such as the NTD Modelling Consortium and the International Trachoma Initiative
to assess the impact of this withdrawal. The goal was to identify the most vulnerable areas, including those on trackto achieve the 2030 elimination targets, at risk of drug expiry, with limited potential for other funding, and those thatwould struggle the most to sustain progress if MDA interventions were interrupted. These assessments were based onmodelling data. ESPEN took the lead in generating the evidence used by a coalition of donors (Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, CIFF, and ELMA) to develop a strategic plan allocating $100 million to countries previously covered by the
UK FCDO.
In May 2022, Togo achieved validation as having successfully eliminated trachoma as a public health problem,
marking a significant milestone in its efforts. Similarly, in September 2022, Malawi also received validation for the
successful elimination of trachoma as a public health concern within its borders. These commendable achievements
demonstrate the dedication and effectiveness of the respective countries’ trachoma control programmes, showcasing
their commitment to improving the health and well-being of their populations.
Another major breakthrough in the African Region was the official launch of the Kigali Declaration on Neglected
Tropical Diseases by H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, at the Kigali Summit on Malaria andNTDs, held alongside the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in June 2022. The Kigali Declaration
was first signed up by African leaders and stakeholders during the 1st WHO Africa NTD Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda
in 2019. The Declaration has already galvanized substantial commitments from donor governments, endemic country
governments, pharmaceutical companies, NGOs, with US$ 1.5 billion in financial commitments and 18 billion donatedtablets pledged at the Summit.
The impact of the Kigali Declaration on NTDs in the African Region is considerable. It has catalysed increased political
will and commitment to address NTDs, leading to heightened efforts, resource mobilization, and programme
implementation. The Declaration has helped to make NTDs a priority on national agendas, resulting in improved
health-care systems, expanded access to treatment, and enhanced surveillance and monitoring.
Another milestone achieved in 2022 was the official launch of The Mwele Malecela Mentorship (MMM) Programme
in June 2022. The launch was officiated by Dr Moeti Matshidiso, WHO Regional Director for Africa during the Kigali
Summit for NTDs and Malaria. The programme seeks to mentor up-and-coming young women leaders to be advocates
for the elimination of NTDs.

Table 1. Major treatment indicators in the African Region since 2014

Year

No. JRF
submitted

Population
Requiring PC forat least 1 PC-NTD

No. IUrequiring
PC fortrachoma

Population
Targeted for PC
for at least 1
PC-NTD

Population
Treated for atleast 1 PC-NTD

No. IU
implementing
PC fortrachoma

AF KPI
1.1.2a% Treatedamong thosetargeted for atleast 1 PC-NTD

The second WHO NTD Road map entitled‘Ending the Neglect to attain the Sustainable
Development Goals: a road map for neglected
tropical diseases 2021–2030’ has set thefollowing overarching targets:i.

reduce the number of people requiring
interventions against NTDs by 90%;ii.

reduce the number of NTD-related
disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by
75%;

iii. achieve elimination of at least one NTD in
100 countries; andiv. eradicate two NTDs.
In 2021, ESPEN developed its Strategic
Framework for the period 2021–2025. This
framework was created through a consultative
process, building on the success of ESPEN’s
previous strategic framework for 2015¬–2020.
The current strategic priorities of ESPEN wereshaped by the progress made in implementing
the previous framework, the external
evaluation of ESPEN’s work, accomplishmentsfrom 2016 to 2019, and the NTD Global Road
map for 2021–2030.

ESPEN STRATEGICFRAMEWORK 2021–2025
AND THE WHO NTD 2030
ROAD MAP
To ensure the relevance and effectiveness of the strategic
priorities, a broad consultation process was conducted, involving
NTD programme managers and other key stakeholders. This
inclusive approach enabled those directly involved in NTD
control and elimination efforts to make their inputs, thereby
ensuring that the priorities were aligned with the needs andchallenges encountered on the ground.
By taking into account past achievements, external evaluations,and the global road map, ESPEN aims to set clear and impactfulstrategic priorities for the coming years. This strategic framework
serves as a road map for ESPEN’s work in addressing neglected
tropical diseases and driving progress towards their control andelimination.

% IU
implementing
PC for trachoma

2014

28

542 618 591

1 362

311 583 758

255 117 870

573

47,0%

81,9%

42,1%

2015

30

555 976 133

1 370

359 198 920

294 669 974

672

53,0%

82,0%

49,1%

2016

34

612 293 842

1 313

376 516 614

329 576 556

761

53,8%

87,5%

58,0%

2017

40

629 713 570

1 148

442 889 218

381 651 229

799

60,6%

86,2%

69,6%

2018

38

643 356 278

991

433 329 834

389 125 782

721

60,5%

89,8%

72,8%

2019

37

635 160 248

938

415 416 690

365 922 411

666

57,6%

88,1%

71,0%

2020

37

618 890 550

868

322 637 642

285 093 758

353

46,1%

88,4%

40,7%

2021

38

658 980 500

738

312 291 751

279 757 095

406

42,5%

89,6%

55,0%

AF KPI 1.1.2a: Percentage of population requiring interventions who received or are receiving interventions at least
for one Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD).

Participants in an NTD workshop development for South Africa

45

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN is focusing on 3 main strategic priorities for the next five years:
Accelerate programmatic action to ensure 100% geographical coverage andeffective coverage by providing data support to countries to use WHO evidencebased guidelines to inform effective intervention strategies, plan and implement,
and enhance service delivery through improved supply chain logistics and accessto medicines and other commodities. ESPEN also focuses on scaling down MDA
toward PC-NTD elimination and reduction of morbidity due to NTDs by undertaking
impact assessments to measure progress in reducing disease prevalence and helping
countries to document these achievements through dossiers to submit to WHO for
validation. Laboratory strengthening is essential to this initiative.

1

Other areas of interest in accelerating programme action include; Strengthening information systems for evidence-based, Implementation-level
decision-making with a focus on building a data strategy that helps African
governments to have accurate, high-quality, timely, standardized information to
support their decision-making.
 Promoting the effective use of donated medicines. ESPEN is working withgovernments to strengthen the quality of supply chain management, including
ensuring that all donated tablets are procured and distributed to the intended
population in a timely manner and without wastage, and that any unutilized
drugs are appropriately stored and repurposed immediately or during other
MDAs.

2

Intensify cross-cutting approaches through data, surveillance and supply chain
support for One Health (for zoonotic PC-NTDs supported under ESPEN such as
schistosomiasis and taeniasis), WASH, vector control and data integration andmainstreaming within national health systems for common delivery platforms thatcombine work on several diseases, and to improve the quality of NTD management in
the context of universal health coverage, coordinating NTD-related interventions withother sectors within and beyond health.

3

Facilitate country ownership and health systems strengthening (HSS) recognizing
the complexities and multiple impacts of health systems at national and subnational
levels, by supporting community-level data, devolved mapping, devolved IU levels forinterventions, integration and increased data use.

Key achievements in 2022
Development of third and fourth generation NTD master plans for African countries

The main activity targeted under this ESPEN strategic objective was the development of third and fourth generationsof country NTD master plans. To support planning and promote more efficient implementation of NTD programmes, it
is imperative for countries to develop national strategic plans (NTD master plans) aligned with the new NTD road map
developed collaboratively by WHO and stakeholders. ESPEN initiated plans to support countries in developing NTD
master plans and costed work plans to facilitate the planning and implementation of NTD interventions. A total of 47
countries were earmarked to receive both technical and financial support from ESPEN.
In March and September 2022, ESPEN conducted surveys among NTD programme managers and WHO country offices
to assess country progress on this activity. The aim was to establish the status of NTD master plan development andidentify gaps in financial and technical support. The identified gaps were used to allocate financial resources andprocure external experts to provide technical support.
Based on the feedback received from countries, they were classified into three categories: i) countries that hadcompleted and validated master plans; ii) countries that had draft plans requiring review and validation; and iii)
countries that had not yet initiated the process.
ESPEN hired 14 consultants, including nine preventive chemotherapy specialists and five case management
specialists, to provide technical support to Member States in developing and reviewing their NTD master plans. The
technical support focused on thematic areas such as desktop review of guidelines and policies, stakeholder mappingand engagement, technical review of draft plans and budgets, and final validation and dissemination of approvedplans. During the reporting period, only one country, Senegal, validated its NTD master plan with support from ESPEN.
Five countries (Benin, Eritrea, Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Togo) have finalized their master plans andshared them with ESPEN for final review before country validation. Technical support for the remaining countries in
the Region is ongoing and expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2023.

ESPEN recognizes that cross-sector collaboration will be key to accelerating progress for the next five years andbeyond. There is a long-standing consensus that the root causes of NTDs cannot be solved without addressing theirunderlying determinants. This is why ESPEN has envisaged the inclusion of all stakeholders, particularly in the areasof health, finance, infrastructure, education, and social services.
However, progress in African countries, which bear nearly 40% of the global NTD burden, is essential to achieving
these new global targets and improving the lives of millions of people.

NTD master plan development workshop in eSwatini

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Table 2: Status of NTD master plan development in countries where the activity
was ongoing by end of 2022

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

Country

Status of NTD Master Plan

Botswana
Congo, Republic of
Gabon
Ghana
GambiaEquatorial Guinea
Liberia
Madagascar
Mozambique
Mauritania
MalawiNamibia
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
South Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
UgandaSouth Africa
ZambiaZimbabwe
Cameroon
Zanzibar

Master plan under-going review
Master plan under-going review
Draft Master Plan finalized
Draft Master Plan finalized
Master plan under-going review
Review and development on going
Master plan under-going review
Master plan under-going review
Master plan under-going review
Master plan under-going review
Master plan under-going review
Master plan under-going review
Master plan under-going review
Draft Master Plan finalized
Draft Master Plan finalized
Review and development on going
Draft Master Plan finalized
Draft Master Plan finalized
Draft Master Plan finalized
Draft Master Plan finalized
Review and development on going
Draft Master Plan finalized
Draft Master Plan finalized

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

During the Kigali Summit on NTDs and Malaria in June 2022, The MMM Programme received an official announcementfrom Dr Moeti Matshidiso, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasizing the programme’s significance in advancing
NTD efforts and its alignment with the Global NTD Road map. The official event highlighted the importance of
mentorship in driving progress toward the eradication of NTDs and, particularly, in promoting women’s leadership in
this area. In December 2022, the call for applications was launched, inviting aspiring mentees to participate and seize
the opportunity for personal growth, professional development, and empowerment.
The establishment of The Mwele Malecela Mentorship Programme is a significant achievement in WHO/AFRO’s
commitment to nurturing talent and catalysing positive change in the field of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Inspired by Dr. Mwele Malecela’s visionary leadership and remarkable accomplishments, this programme seeks tohonour her enduring legacy by offering emerging leaders within the NTD community a transformative mentorshipexperience. ESPEN, under the guidance of WHO/AFRO UCN, is leading the programme in collaboration with longstanding partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the END Fund, Menttium, and the American
Society for Medicine, Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (ASTMH).

Achievements by disease
1. Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis
Lymphatic filariasis
Scaling up

Overall, despite the initial setbacks caused by the pandemic, countries showed resilience and determination tocontinue their efforts in combating neglected tropical diseases and aligning with the goals outlined in the Global NTD
Road map.

ESPEN played a crucial role in supporting LF MDA efforts in nine countries, namely Chad, Comoros, Congo,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Eritrea, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe (STP),
and Zambia. Through these MDA campaigns, ESPEN aimed to target a total population of 31 964 700 people
across 241 implementation units. In addition, ESPEN supported the second round of MDA using ALB/DEC
in LF loa co-endemic areas within Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, focusing on reaching
799 446 individuals across 10 implementation units. Furthermore, ESPEN contributed to the review of the LF
confirmatory mapping protocol for 19 implementation units in Zimbabwe.

The Mwele Malecela Mentorship (MMM) Programme

Scaling down

ESPEN has provided guidelines on the inclusion of One Health in all the master plans being developed. The Kenya
NTD Master Plan, for example, includes a mechanism for collaboration between NTDs and the recently established
Zoonotic Diseases Unit.

In February 2022, Africa suffered a profound loss with the passing of Dr Mwele Malecela, a highly respected female
scientist and the driving force behind the 2030 WHO Road map for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Dr Malecela,
erstwhile Director of the WHO Department of Neglected Tropical Diseases Control in Geneva, was renowned for her
dedication to mentoring and motivating the next generation of global health professionals, especially women.
To commemorate Dr Mwele Malecela’s extraordinary legacy and her significant contributions to the field of NTDs, The
Mwele Malecela Mentorship (MMM) Programme was established. This programme aims to support mid-career African
women to overcome barriers and become leaders and advocates for the elimination of neglected tropical diseases,
both nationally and internationally. The MMM programme is committed to empowering women working in NTDs by
providing mentorship, training, and networking opportunities over a two-year period, spanning from 2023 to 2030.

ESPEN provided both financial and technical support to conduct pre-transmission assessment surveys (preTAS) and transmission assessment surveys (TAS) in five countries: Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC), Eritrea, Madagascar, and Nigeria. A total of 243 pre-TAS and 64 TAS were supported by ESPEN.
Furthermore, the ESPEN team actively reviewed and approved TAS eligibility forms from eight countries: Coted’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal,
and the United Republic of Tanzania, to facilitate the implementation of TAS surveys.
The ESPEN team also reviewed protocols for pre-TAS and TAS surveys from several countries, including Burkina
Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, and Kenya. The aim of this review
process was to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the surveys.
In 2022, ESPEN collaborated with WHO headquarters to approve and donate a total of 478 505 Filariasis Test
Strip (FTS) kits (consisting of 14 739 kits) to 14 countries. In addition, 38 FTS positive control vials were provided.

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Onchocerciasis
Scaling up

ESPEN assisted in implementing MDA campaigns in onchocerciasis endemic districts of Burundi, Chad,the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, and Nigeria. These districts had not previously received any
institutional support to undertake MDAs. The target population for these programmes was 15 505 944 people,
and the interventions were carried out in 112 implementation units. However, specific figures are yet to be
confirmed.
In addition, ESPEN conducted virtual trainings in collaboration with NTD programmes in Burundi, Congo, andthe Democratic Republic of the Congo. These trainings focused on two important aspects: comprehensive
breeding site assessment and onchocerciasis elimination mapping surveys. By imparting knowledge and skills
through virtual platforms, ESPEN sought to enhance the capacity of local teams involved in NTD control efforts.
Furthermore, ESPEN supported comprehensive breeding site assessment surveys in Congo, which wereconducted prior to onchocerciasis elimination mapping surveys. These assessments helped to identify andevaluate breeding sites of vectors of the disease, thus providing crucial information for targeted interventions
to eliminate onchocerciasis.

Scaling down

Support of the ESPEN laboratory to countries
Technical laboratory support to countries
In 2022, the ESPEN laboratory processed samples from Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
For Burkina Faso, samples received in the laboratory included 47 410 adult female blackflies, 52 aquatic larvaeof blackflies, and 22 microscopic preparations of onchocerca larvae collected during entomological assessment
surveys in the Comoé and Leraba river basins of Burkina Faso. Overall, the infectivity rate was 0.2362. 10-3 which
is below the threshold of 0.05% recommended by WHO. The upper and lower band of the 95% confidence
interval were 0.4223 and 0.1144 per 1000 flies confirming the interruption of transmission. However, infectious
blackflies were detected at 4 collection points, namely Bodadiougou Barrière, Bodiadougou Peulh, Gnerpien
and Point de Leraba,

Figure 1: Blackflies collection sites in the Comoé and Leraba river basins in Burkina Faso and O-150 PCR results

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Table 3: Infectivity rate of blackflies collected in Burkina Faso

Simulium catch point

Number of blackflies
expected (number
on labels)

Number of blackflies
found after morphological sorting

O-150 PCR Test
(number of positive
pools)

Infectivity rate
(10-3)

Confidence interval (10-3)
Lower
limit

Upper limit

Bodadiougou Village

4270

4308

0

0.00000.00000.4456

Bodadiougou Barriere

11348

6106

1

0.16500.00510.8571

Bodadiougou Peulh

10378

10376

7

1.23880.46202.6083

Bodadiougou Petit Barrage

4472

4192

0

0.00000.00000.4579Kayouna

5233

4702

0

0.00000.00000.3947

Gnerpien

5869

5801

1

0.17540.00010.9030Congala

1016

1016

0

0.00000.00000.3092BADARA FOLENZO

328

328

0

0.00000.00005.8366LOUMANA

229

616

0

0.00000.00002.6599

BOKO BADARA

1247

1799

0

0.00000.00001.0667DANGOUMDOUGOU

130

721

0

0.00000.00002.6594BADARA KARABORO

934

735

0

0.00000.00002.6088

BOLIBANA

323

571

0

0.00000.00003.3569KOUSSOUMANI K

413

386

0

0.00000.00004.9617BANDOUGOU

148

148

0

0.00000.000012.8892

TOUSSIAMBOUGOU

45

62

0

0.00000.000030.4932

PONT DE LERABA

2422

5142

3

0.62020.11991.8010

SAKORA II

372

401

0

0.00000.00004.7766

TOTAL

49177

47410

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0.23620.11440.4223Figure 2: Participants during a laboratory training on assessment of Simulium spp. breeding sites in Congo

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NTD laboratory survey

The ESPEN laboratory in Ouagadougou conducted an online survey on NTD laboratories in the African Region. The
objective of the survey was to assess the status of NTD laboratories and establish a structured laboratory network
based on specific diseases or groups of NTDs. A total of 13 English-speaking countries (Rwanda, Uganda, Seychelles,
Malawi, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Ghana, Botswana, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Lesotho, the United Republic of Tanzania,
and Kenya) and 18 French-speaking countries (Benin, Madagascar, Niger, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Mauritania, theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Congo, Chad, São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon, GuineaBissau, Mozambique, Guinea, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali) participated in the survey.
Key statistics related to NTD laboratories are summarized in Figure 3. The survey results were currently under analysis
at the time of publication of this report.

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

The participants were divided into two cohorts. The English-speaking cohort attended from 14 to 19 November 2022,
and comprised 21 trainees from 8 countries, with two participants per country. The countries represented were
Namibia, Rwanda, Angola, Kenya, Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania (with three participants), South Sudan,
Eritrea, Botswana, and Malawi.
The French-speaking cohort attended from 21 to 26 November 2022, with 18 of the 20 expected participants comingfrom nine countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Congo.
Unfortunately, representatives from Niger were unable to obtain visas and could not participate in the course.
The workshop combined plenary presentations, fieldwork (including faeces and urine sampling and conservation),and mass treatment with praziquantel for school-age children in the visited schools. Practical laboratory work wasalso conducted to examine the collected field samples for parasites.

Figure 4: Participants during a training workshop on the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, geohelminthiasis, and tapeworms in Zanzibar, United Republicof Tanzania

Figure 3: NTD Laboratory key figures

Network of laboratories on NTDs: Training course on integrated control of NTDs
through preventive chemotherapy and One Health: diagnosis of helminthiasis

From 14 to 26 November 2022, ESPEN and WHO headquarters jointly organized a training workshop on the diagnosis
of schistosomiasis, geohelminthiasis, and tapeworms in line with the One Health approach. The workshop took placeat the WHO Collaborating Centre, in the Ivo De Carneri Public Health Laboratory in Pemba, Zanzibar, United Republicof Tanzania. The workshop focused mainly on field surveys, sample collection, good laboratory practices (GLP), andthe networking of NTD laboratories.

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2 . Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis and Schistosomiasis
Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis
Scaling up
i.

In 2022, ESPEN provided financial and technical support to bridge the treatment gap for school-age
children (SAC) and adults in 10 countries:•

For schistosomiasis (SCH) mass drug administrations (MDA): Botswana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, South
Sudan, Somalia.

•

For soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) MDA: Burundi, Congo, Cabo Verde, Zambia, South Sudan,
Somalia.
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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ii.

In South Sudan, ESPEN provided support for SCH/STH MDA in 41 counties, aiming to reach 1 359 539
individuals. However, due to reported serious adverse events (SAEs), the MDA was temporarily halted,
and only three counties were covered in 2021. After thorough investigations and addressing community
concerns, including improving the community communication strategy and training community healthworkers and teachers, the MDA was successfully conducted in 2022.

iii. In Kenya, ESPEN is collaborating with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to jointly support SCH/STH MDA in 20
implementation units (IUs) targeting 2 419 209 people in the Western Kenya Region. This initiative is partof the country’s national strategy to interrupt the transmission of these diseases.

Schistosomiasis
Scaling down

ESPEN provided support for:i.

the implementation of the Schistosomiasis Control Programme in Congo, including training and thedevelopment of a community-level mapping protocol;ii.

the preparation of a dossier for the elimination of schistosomiasis in Algeria;iii. schistosomiasis data collection in the subdistricts of Guinea;
iv. the acquisition of 10 tablets for a multicentre sampling study on schistosomiasis in Mali; andv.

laboratory training in the United Republic of Tanzania, more specifically in Pemba.

Spotlight on schistosomiasis elimination in Algeria

Algeria is making significant progress towards achieving the interruption of schistosomiasis transmission,
positioning itself as one of the leading countries in the African Region. Following a thorough review of thecountry’s schistosomiasis transmission status by ESPEN, it has been confirmed that Algeria has had noindigenous cases of schistosomiasis for three consecutive years. To support Algeria’s efforts, ESPEN has
provided assistance in preparing a verification dossier. This support involved finalizing and validating
a situation analysis to confirm the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem in Algeria,
developing a comprehensive plan to verify the interruption of schistosomiasis transmission, and creating averification survey protocol specifically designed to assess the interruption of schistosomiasis transmission.

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

The next steps in Algeria’s efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis involve several important actions. These include
establishing a national committee that brings together experts from various disciplines and sectors to focus on
eliminating urogenital schistosomiasis. Resource mobilization will also be key to ensuring sufficient funding andsupport for the elimination efforts.
A comprehensive survey will be conducted to verify the interruption of schistosomiasis transmission. This survey willassess the transmission status and confirm the success of elimination efforts.
In addition, the management of imported cases will be addressed to prevent the reintroduction of the disease.
Algeria will also strengthen cross-border collaboration by updating existing collaboration agreements to include
schistosomiasis and ensure effective management of epidemics across borders.
To enhance diagnostic capabilities, more sensitive techniques will be utilized to detect schistosomiasis cases. This willaid in identifying and managing any human cases that may arise.
Furthermore, Algeria will promote multisectoral collaboration through the “One Health” approach, which recognizes
the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. This approach will facilitate the coordination ofefforts to monitor and manage animal infestations, thereby ensuring a comprehensive approach to schistosomiasis
elimination.

Scaling up One Health NTD interventions in the African Region

The status of T. Solium Taeniasis in the African Region has been finalized for 2022, and ESPEN participated in the
publication of a report entitled “WHO Taenia Solium endemicity map – 2022 Update” in the Weekly Epidemiological
Report. The publication, authored by several experts including M. Donadeu, K. Bote, E. Gasimov, SH. Kim, Z. Lin, A.
Lucianez, P. Mwinzi, RS. Nicholls, S. Warusavithana, A. Yajima, and B. Abela-Ridder, provides valuable insights into theendemicity of T. Solium Taeniasis in the Region.
The report shows up to 20 African countries have been identified as endemic for T. Solium Taeniasis. These countries
include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, the Democratic Republic of theCongo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa,
United Republic of Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. The publication serves as an important resource for understanding
the distribution and prevalence of this disease in the Region.
In order to address the prevalence of T. Solium taeniasis in the endemic countries identified, it is crucial for thesecountries to prioritize community-level mapping. This mapping should specifically target areas with risk factors suchas free-roaming and backyard pigs, and inadequate sanitation practices including open defecation. It is recommended
to adopt a One Health approach, which integrates the examination of pig tongues for signs of infection and stool
examination among community members, following the guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO)for T. Solium mapping.
In 2022, technical support was provided to Cameroon and the United Republic of Tanzania to assist them in finalizing
their mapping protocols. These protocols are currently undergoing ethical review at both national and WHO/AFRO
levels. This support aims to ensure that the mapping efforts align with established standards and ethical considerations,facilitating accurate and reliable data collection for further analysis and intervention planning.

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3. Trachoma

Scaling up
ESPEN played a significant role in supporting trachoma baseline mapping efforts in different countries. Here isa summary of ESPEN involvement:i.

Trachoma baseline mapping in Algeria: ESPEN provided technical and financial support for trachoma
baseline mapping in Algeria. The mapping, conducted in 12 evaluation units (EUs) across five Wilayas(provinces), used WHO-recommended methodologies with the assistance of Tropical Data. The results
revealed that the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) among children aged 1 to 9
years was below the elimination threshold in all 12 EUs. However, trachomatous trichiasis (TT) prevalence
exceeded 0.2% in nine of the 12 EUs, covering 69 Communes.

ii.

Trachoma baseline mapping in Angola: ESPEN provided technical and financial support for the trachoma
baseline mapping in Angola, using Tropical Data. The results of the baseline mapping conducted in Cunene
and Namibe provinces confirmed that Angola is indeed a trachoma-endemic country.

iii. Trachoma baseline mapping in Botswana: ESPEN contributed to the finalization of the trachoma baseline
mapping protocols for Botswana. The mapping took place in the Okavango District in December 2022. The
results indicated that Botswana is not endemic for trachoma.
iv. Extension of baseline mapping protocol in Namibia: ESPEN supported the extension of the baseline
trachoma mapping protocol in Namibia to include other relevant neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
such as scabies. With the assistance of WHO and Tropical Data, the Ministry of Health and Social Services(MoSSH) in Namibia is currently finalizing the protocol.
ESPEN’s support of these trachoma baseline mapping initiatives has been instrumental in assessing theprevalence and endemicity of trachoma in different countries, aiding in the development of targetedinterventions to control and eliminate the disease.

Scaling downi.

Progress in trachoma control in the African Region has been significant, with a notable reduction in thenumber of people requiring antibiotic treatment. From 2014 to June 2022, the number of individuals
needing treatment decreased by 84 million, from 189 million to 105 million. Eight countries achieved theelimination threshold for trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) and no longer required mass drug
administration (MDA) in 2022.

ii.

Validation for the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem was granted to Togo in May 2022 andMalawi in September 2022. This brings the total number of countries validated for trachoma eliminationin the WHO African Region to four. Ghana (June 2018) and The Gambia (April 2021) were the first two
countries to achieve this milestone.

iii. Currently, Trachoma remains endemic in 23 countries within the WHO African Region. Benin and Mali
have declared that they have eliminated trachoma and have submitted their elimination dossiers forindependent review. ESPEN provided financial support to Mauritania for the finalization of its trachoma
elimination dossier in collaboration with the END Fund and OPC.
Figure 5: Endemicity of taeniasis in the African Region

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iv. ESPEN also offered technical support in the informal review of trachoma elimination dossiers for Benin,
Burundi, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, and Togo in 2022. These efforts contribute to the overall goal ofeliminating trachoma as a public health problem in the Region.

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In 2022, ESPEN enhanced the existing interactive dashboards that provide both current progress and ten-year
projections at the implementation level. By utilizing historical data from the ESPEN repository, these dashboards
forecast the timing and strategy for MDA interventions, considering co-endemicity, and highlight when impact
assessments should be conducted to meet the goals of the 2021–2030 NTD Elimination Road map. These resources
greatly support the development of national NTD master plans and annual work plans.

Strengthening information management system
Summary

ESPEN has made significant progress in its data portal and related tools. The number of disease-specificmaps available on the portal has increased to over 15 000, incorporating data from activities carried out
in 2020. In addition, new disease-specific dashboards have been developed to provide comprehensive
information on major NTD indicators, including endemicity and MDA/PC interventions, categorized bycountry.

ESPEN has also prioritized improving data collection and reporting tools for NTD country programmes. The ESPEN
Collect Survey Support Services, or ESPEN Collect, offers standardized data collection and submission through EPIRF.
This platform aims to enhance data quality and timeliness, reduce fragmentation in epidemiological assessments,and meet the increasing demand for mapping and impact assessment surveys. In addition, the ESPEN JAP import
tool simplifies the submission and validation of Joint Application Package reports, streamlining the review process for
WHO country offices, the ESPEN data team, and NTD country programme teams.
In 2022, ESPEN witnessed a growing number of countries utilizing ESPEN Collect and the JAP import tool,
demonstrating their effectiveness in data collection and reporting. These tools facilitate efficient and reliable data
management, supporting NTD programmes in making informed decisions and advancing their efforts towards NTD
elimination. Thus, twenty-five countries fully relied on the JAP import tool to submit their reports on MDA activities
implemented in 2021.

ESPEN has created an analytical dashboard to facilitate data analysis and planning, offering projections
on treatment and survey requirements until 2030. This tool is integrated into the ESPEN NTD Data Portal,
enabling users to access valuable insights and make informed decisions.
ESPEN has also finalized the ESPEN JAP import tool, which allows JAP (Joint Application Package) reports
to be reviewed and validated. Currently, 692 JAP reports have been reviewed and validated, and they are
publicly accessible.
In terms of user engagement, the ESPEN Portal has seen significant traffic. In 2022 alone, 14 383 users from174 countries, including 55 countries in Africa, visited the portal during 3,272 sessions. This demonstrates
the widespread utilization of and interest in the ESPEN platform.
Furthermore, ESPEN has received 59 requests from 19 countries to utilize the ESPEN Collect platform
for surveys conducted in 5,845 sites. The countries involved include Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad,
Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Kenya,
Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tomé, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. This highlights theplatform’s value in facilitating data collection and survey management for various countries in their efforts
to combat NTDs.

ESPEN recognizes the importance of data-driven decision-making in the success of NTD programmes. To facilitate this,the WHO Regional Office for Africa developed the ESPEN NTD Portal, an online platform that provides easy access tosubnational PC-NTD data for key stakeholders. The portal serves as a consolidated repository of data shared by healthministries through the Joint Application Package reporting system, offering a comprehensive view of the status of NTD
programmes at the implementation unit level. This enables better progress tracking, cross-disease coordination, andforward planning.
The ESPEN NTD Portal initially made endemicity and treatment status maps available at the implementation unit
level, but it has since expanded to include more NTD data. The portal now compiles epidemiological and treatment
data since 2014, with efforts underway to collect historical data. ESPEN is also releasing community-level data forvarious NTDs in endemic countries across the African Region.

Supporting countries in submitting reliable data
to WHOTo facilitate the monitoring and planning of preventive chemotherapy interventions in NTD programmes, Ministries
of Health (MoH) utilize five standard electronic workbooks provided by WHO. These workbooks include theepidemiological reporting form (EPIRF), the joint reporting form (JRF), the joint request for selected medicines(JRSM), the annual work plan form (AW), and the trachoma evaluation and monitoring form (TEMF). While the TEMF isa stand-alone form, the others are part of the Joint Application Package and serve as the primary data source for the
ESPEN Data Portal.
To ensure the quality of the reported data, the ESPEN data management team conducts thorough reviews andprovides feedback to the country teams, which consist of the NTD focal person from the WHO country office, MoH
staff, and implementing partners. This feedback aims to address any necessary corrections or discrepancies throughappropriate explanations.
In 2022, a total of 38 JRF treatment reports for 2021 MDA activities were received. Seven countries reported notconducting MDA in 2020: Cabo Verde, Eswatini, Gabon, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa.
Thirty-nine country programmes submitted medicine requests using the JRSM form. Of these, 30 requests have been
approved and orders dispatched, 11 were under review at the country level, and 4 countries indicated that they did
not require donated medicines.
As part of the scaling down of MDA after several years of implementation, 17 countries conducted impact assessment
surveys and submitted the results to ESPEN using the EPIRF form. A total of 22 survey reports were received, reviewed,
and provided with appropriate guidance based on the results and WHO guidelines.
Overall, ESPEN collected 282 JRFs from countries between 2014 and 2021. Regarding medicine requests (JRSM),
ESPEN received 291 submissions between 2016 and 2021. There has been an increasing number of submissions since
the inception of the ESPEN project in 2016. The countries that did not submit reports are those that did not implement
MDA.

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The CHIP tool, accessible at https://espen.afro.who.int/tools-resources/chip, is being utilized by ministries of healthand implementing partners to facilitate informed decision-making processes. It assists in assessing consistency intreatment coverage and identifying implementation units that may require impact assessment surveys in the near
future. By leveraging this tool, stakeholders can make more informed decisions and improve the effectiveness of NTD
programmes.

Figure 6: Trends in submission of medicine requests and treatment report by NTD programmes for 2014–2023

Promoting online submission of data files to WHO/AFRO/ESPEN

For a long time, email was the primary means of data sharing between country NTD programmes and WHO,
including the review process. However, this system lacked transparency and accountability, making it challenging
for stakeholders to track the status of data submission, review, and validation. This process involved multiple
stakeholders, such as ministries of health, implementing partners, donors, drug-donor pharmaceutical companies,
and various WHO entities (country offices, regional office, and WHO headquarters).

Figure 7. Country (United Republic of Tanzania) dashboard of the CHIP platform embedded into the ESPEN Portal, showing treatment coverage andelimination forecast until 2030

To address these limitations, ESPEN introduced an online submission tool for data files in 2019, aiming to enhancetransparency among partners involved in NTD control. Taking user feedback into account, a more user-friendly
interface was developed and launched in February 2023.
In 2022, 25 countries utilized this tool to submit at least one Joint Application Package (JAP) form. The level of usage
varied among countries, with some simply submitting the initial version of the form while others submitted all versions
and engaged in communication with WHO as part of the review process.

Setting up a Country Health Information Platform (CHIP)

ESPEN, in collaboration with Sightsavers, has created the “Country Health Information Platform (CHIP)” as anationally managed data product to enhance access to longitudinal data through integration with the ESPEN Portal.
This visualization tool is designed to review data submitted in the Joint Application Package (JAP) and trachoma
elimination monitoring form (TEMF) at national, regional, and district levels, eliminating the need for additional data
entry. Following a pilot phase in five countries, all 44 countries in WHO/AFRO that implement preventive chemotherapy
for NTDs have been fully incorporated into the tool.

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ESPEN NTD PORTALThe ESPEN Portal, launched in 2017, has
become a valuable resource with over 15 000
maps and underlying datasets for all PC-NTDs.
The available data includes information at
both the implementation unit level, providing
details on endemicity status and treatment
coverage, and at the site level, offering survey
results. New maps have been recently added tothe portal based on treatment data from 2021.
In addition, the ESPEN Portal includes maps
and dashboards displaying estimates ofaccessibility to safe water and improved
sanitation. To create these water and sanitation
maps, ESPEN used WASH data from the Local
Burden of Disease project at the Institute for
Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). The
IHME, in collaboration with WASH partners,
has developed geostatistical models to predict
the accessibility to protected sources of waterand improved sanitation facilities worldwide.
Using these predictions, ESPEN has generated
summary indicators at the implementation unit
level, resulting in informative maps that overlay
the endemicity of soil-transmitted helminths(STH) and schistosomiasis (SCH) with access towater and sanitation.
In addition to expanding maps and datasets,
the ESPEN Data Portal has recently introduced
a comprehensive suite of data dashboards,

progress and forecast dashboards. These dashboards aredesigned to assist NTD programmes in monitoring the rollout
and impact of interventions, enabling data-driven decisionmaking for future strategies. The continent, regional and country
landing pages have also been enhanced, providing a summaryof major treatment indicators and projections on survey andtreatment requirements for the upcoming years.
Furthermore, the portal offers various resources to support
NTD programmes, including the country NTD master plans,partners’ matrix, Regional Programme Review Group reports
for Preventive Chemotherapy (RPRG), ESPEN annual reports,
and disease elimination dossiers. These resources contributeto the comprehensive nature of the ESPEN Portal, serving as acentralized platform for accessing essential information andfacilitating informed actions in NTD control.
The ESPEN NTD Portal experienced a significant increase inusage from the African Region in 2022 compared to 2021. The
number of new users rose by 39.06%, from 10 343 in 2021 to 14
383 in 2022. In terms of page views, there has been a remarkable
155.01% increase, from 84 460 views in 2021 to 215 379 in 2022.
When examining these statistics by location, the African Region
witnessed a 40% rise in the number of new users, growing from3,065 in 2021 to 4,119 in 2022. The African Region actually has
the largest total number of users worldwide, with 4,349 users,
accounting for 29.2% of the global user base. The other regions
follow with the Americas at 27.1%, Europe at 24.4%, Asia at
17.2%, and Oceania at 1.4%.
This increase in the uptake of the resources available on the
ESPEN NTD Portal results from dedicated efforts to enhance
its accessibility and usefulness. The growing numbers reflect
the growing recognition and utilization of the portal’s valuable
information and tools by users in the African Region and acrossthe globe.

Figure 8: Number of stable users of ESPEN Portal by continent in 2022

Updating cartography of implementation units
With the update of the IU history, the IU boundaries have been updated to match the IUs which exist each year.
This important update allows visualization of PC data using the exact IU division that applies to each year. The IU
cartography publicly available in the ESPEN Portal is a resource that can be used by other health programmes, inthe same way other programmes such as the WHO Polio Eradication Programme make their specific cartography
available to the public.

Data Harmonisation for NTD Master plan Budgeting in Liberia

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN COLLECT

Summary
In 2022, ESPEN Collect achieved significant milestones and made a positive impact in supporting datacollection for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Here is a summary of the key achievements:a.

Support requests: ESPEN Collect received 59 support requests from 19 countries, highlighting theplatform’s growing recognition and demand.

b.

Survey support: A total of 44 surveys from 19 countries received comprehensive support through
ESPEN Collect. This support included protocol review, assistance in data collection, monitoring,cleaning, and guidance in generating electronic prevalence and impact reporting forms (EPIRFs).

c.

Partner collaboration: ESPEN Collect collaborated with five partner organizations, namely Sightsavers,
FHI360, KEMRI, HKI, and Crown Agents, who used the platform for their surveys. This collaboration
expanded the reach and impact of ESPEN Collect.

Figure 9: IU level cartography for LF, onchocerciasis, STH and SCH programmes in the African Regiond. Expansion to new countries: ESPEN Collect expanded to five new countries in 2022: Chad, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, and Malawi. These countries joined the growing list ofnations benefiting from the platform’s data collection capabilities.
e.

Extensive data collection: ESPEN Collect facilitated data collection from 546 districts and 5,845 sites,
including schools and villages. This extensive data collection provided a comprehensive dataset for
informed decision-making and programme evaluation.

Progress and forecast analytical dashboards
To facilitate evidence-based decision-making in NTD control, the ESPEN Data Portal has been expanded to include
a comprehensive set of data dashboards. These dashboards are specifically designed to assist NTD programmes
in effectively monitoring the implementation and impact of interventions, as well as making informed decisions
regarding future strategies.
The newly added ESPEN Progress and Forecast dashboards offer users the ability to delve into vital statistics, analytics,
graphics, and maps at both the subnational and national levels. These dashboards provide an overview of the current
endemicity status and progress of mass drug administration (MDA) efforts for each PC-NTD (Preventive Chemotherapy
NTDs). In addition, they outline the projected treatment needs and impact assessment requirements over the next
decade.
The dashboards have been specifically designed to facilitate easy access and utilization of data by national
programmes. By leveraging the information in the dashboards, decision-makers can make better informed choices,
allocate resources more efficiently, and drive progress in their NTD control and elimination efforts. Users can accessdisease-specific dashboards through their respective country pages on the ESPEN Data Portal, simply by selecting thedisease of interest.

24

In 2022, ESPEN Collect played a crucial role in supporting surveys across various countries, contributing to thecollection of valuable epidemiological and coverage evaluation data. Highlights of ESPEN Collect’s survey activities
include:Number of surveys: A total of 44 surveys were conducted in 2022, covering a wide range of sites. These surveys took
place in 5,845 sites located within 546 districts across 29 countries.
Epidemiological reporting forms (EPIRF): Through the platform, 19 EPIRFs were successfully generated for the surveys
conducted. These forms are used to capture and report essential epidemiological data.
Training and support: ESPEN provided training to 510 individuals on the usage of ESPEN Collect within the participating
countries. This training ensured that survey teams were equipped with the necessary skills to effectively utilize theplatform for data collection.
Collaboration with partners: ESPEN collaborated with esteemed partners such as Sightsavers, FHI360, KEMRI, Hellen
Keller International (HKI), Crown Agents, and ESPEN itself. These partnerships proved instrumental in various aspects,
including funding, procurement of smartphones for data collection, training facilitation, data management, andoverall support to NTD country programmes.

25

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Expansion to new countries: A total of 5 new countries, namely Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, GuineaBissau, Kenya, and Malawi, received support from ESPEN Collect in 2022. With the addition of these countries, thetotal number of countries benefiting from the platform reached 25 out of the 47 countries in the African Region.
Impact and growth: Since its launch in late 2018, ESPEN Collect has steadily grown in scale and impact. Nearly 2
million records have been submitted through the platform, underscoring its significance in enhancing data collection
efforts for NTD programmes.
Overall, ESPEN Collect’s survey activities in 2022 showcased its effectiveness in supporting data collection across awide range of countries, facilitating collaboration with partners, and contributing to the growth of evidence-based
decision-making in NTD control.
Below is the survey scale-up per year:

ESPEN Collect has been instrumental in
supporting surveys for all four PC-NTDs
targeted by the platform: lymphatic filariasis(LF), onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, and soiltransmitted helminthiasis (STH).
For detailed information on the surveys
conducted using ESPEN Collect since its
inception in 2018 and in 2022 in particular,
please refer to Figures 11 and 12.
Figure 10: Survey scale up by year.

Figure 11: ESPEN Collect dashboard with major milestones (2018 –2022)

26

Figure 12: ESPEN Collect dashboard with major milestones in 2022

Table 4: The following table summarizes the number of surveys per country
Country

LF surveys

SCH /STH Surveys

Oncho surveys

Benin

0

1

1

Burkina Faso

3

0

2

Burundi

0

0

0

Chad

1

0

0

Congo

0

0

1

Côte d’Ivoire

2

0

2

Democratic Republic of the Congo

0

1

0

Ghana

1

0

2

Guinea001Guinea Bissau

3

0

1

Kenya

2

0

0

Liberia2

0

1

Malawi0

0

1

Mozambique

2

0

1

Nigeria20

3

Sao Tomé

100Senegal2

1

0Sierra Leone

0

0

1

Togo

0

0

2

Total

21

3

19

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN JAPIMPORT TOOLTo enhance the accessibility of preventive chemotherapy data for country programmes and stakeholders, ESPEN has
implemented improvements to its internal data management system. This includes the development of a new file
upload tool and an Extract-Transform and Load tool. As a result of these enhancements, ESPEN has made several
forms available to the public on the ESPEN Portal.
These forms include:

36 40 25

TREATMENT TREATMENTREPORTSREPORTSfor the 2021 mass
drug administration(MDA)

for the 2020 MDA

MEDICINE
REQUEST

forms for the 2022
MDA

30 7 & 8

MEDICINE
REQUEST

forms for the 2023
MDA

ESPEN ANALYTICSESPEN is committed to providing evidencebased guidance to NTD country programmes,
enabling them to make well-informed decisions
tailored to their specific epidemiologicalcontext. To fulfil this commitment, ESPEN
continues to process data collected through the
ESPEN data repository, including informationfrom the recently submitted joint reporting
form (JRF) 2020 report. This data is used
to generate key indicators for monitoringand evaluating progress towards diseasespecific control and elimination targets. These
indicators are used to measure the impact ofmass drug administration (MDA) interventions
over time and to identify areas that may
require additional attention from NTD control
programmes.
The ESPEN data team has analysed this data
to produce endemicity and treatment-related
indicators at different geographical levels,
including at the implementation unit andcountry level, for the entire African Region.

These indicators are made available through the ESPEN Data
Portal as maps, tables, and recently developed countryand disease-specific dashboards. Analytical dashboards formonitoring progress are accessible for each PC-NTD disease andby country, presenting key statistics, demographic information,and implementation unit-level summaries for PC interventions.
The progress dashboard provides a visual representation ofnational coverage over the years, while detailed graphics highlight
population and MDA coverage trends at the implementation unit
level over time. An interactive map displays treatment coveragetrends, linked to an implementation unit-level plot showing PC
treatment coverage. All charts and plots can be downloaded forusers’ convenience.
Moreover, new analytical dashboards incorporating projectionsof treatment and survey needs until 2030 have been developedand integrated into the ESPEN NTD Portal. These projections,available for each PC-NTD disease and by country, offer key
statistics and indicators by year, outlining projected MDA
and survey needs for each disease until 2030. The dashboard
provides a clear visual timeline for disease-specific projections
and an interactive map displaying the number of MDAs required
to achieve disease control or elimination. This map is linked toan implementation unit-level PC plot, presenting treatment andsurvey needs for the upcoming years. All charts, plots, and data
can be downloaded, providing users with comprehensive accessto projections at both country and implementation unit levels.

ANNUAL WORKPLANS

for 2022 and 2023, respectively

In total, the ESPEN Data Portal now provides access to 268 treatment report forms, 249 medicine request forms,
121 epidemiological reports (survey reports), and 52 annual work plan forms. These resources contribute to a morecomprehensive and transparent data repository for preventive chemotherapy efforts.

28

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

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Identifying funding gaps for the completion oftreatment and surveys
Through various inquiries, ESPEN has identified a lack of funding as a major reason for the expiry of medicines
dispatched to conduct planned MDA interventions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has implemented the Joint
Application Package system, which enables countries to report MDA and M&E interventions and request medicines.
This system includes an annual work plan (AWP) form to collect information on funding availability and external
support for planned interventions. However, the current system does not require countries to provide detailed
information about the specific areas (implementation units) receiving external support or the activities supported byeach partner.

Figure13: Progress and forecast analytical dashboards (per country and disease)

In the African Region, 4,975 areas or implementation units require interventions for at least one PC-NTD. In 2021, only
58.2% (2,894 areas) of these units could conduct interventions for at least one PC-NTD. Unfortunately, a significant
portion of the remaining areas (42.8%) did not receive any interventions due to a lack of funding. A recent study
conducted by ESPEN in 26 countries sought to assess funding availability for planned MDA rounds scheduled in 2023.
The study revealed that 12% of implementation units lacked funding to complete the required MDA rounds for LF,
11% for onchocerciasis, 35% for STH, and 24% for schistosomiasis. To address this issue, ESPEN has partnered withorganizations involved in developing and maintaining the ESPEN Portal. Together, we have developed an online
tool called the “IU Planner.” This tool enables stakeholders to report and monitor funding availability and plannedinterventions. It serves as a centralized platform to track funding gaps and ensure transparency in resource allocation
for PC-NTD interventions. By utilizing the IU Planner, stakeholders can better coordinate their efforts, identify areas
needing additional funding, and prioritize interventions accordingly. This tool aims to improve the efficiency andeffectiveness of resource utilization, ultimately leading to a greater impact in combating PC-NTDs in the African Region.

We have also generated disease-specific indicators for the entire African Region. These indicators have been madeavailable through the different services and tools embedded in the ESPEN NTD Data Portal, including a new country
landing page feature.

Strengthening supply chain management
Utilization of donated medicines

In October 2022, an advocacy workshop was successfully organized in Mombasa, Kenya, co-sponsored by the World
Health Organization (WHO), the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and the Promoting the Quality of
Medicines (PQM) programme. This workshop focused on ensuring the quality of priority medicines for neglected
tropical diseases (NTDs). The event brought together National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) andmanufacturers of NTD products. Participants engaged in discussions, knowledge sharing, and capacity-building
activities to enhance the quality and availability of essential medicines for NTDs.

30

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

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ESPEN conducted a supply chain support mission to Ghana from 26 April to 6 May 2022. The objective was tostrengthen the country’s supply chain management system for NTDs. During the mission, ESPEN experts provided
technical assistance, guidance, and training to Ghanaian stakeholders involved in distributing and managing NTD
medicines. The mission sought to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chain processes, ensuring
timely and reliable access to essential medicines for NTD control and elimination efforts.
Similarly, in April 2022, ESPEN conducted a supply chain support mission to Kenya. The mission lasted from 12 to
22 April and focused on improving the country’s NTD supply chain management system. ESPEN collaborated withlocal stakeholders, providing expertise and support to enhance the logistics, distribution, and inventory management
processes for NTD medicines in Kenya. The mission sought to strengthen the supply chain infrastructure, optimize
resource utilization, and ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines for NTD programmes.
Recognizing the importance of a robust supply chain management, ESPEN engaged two supply chain consultants in
April 2022. These consultants were assigned to support ESPEN in strengthening the NTD supply chain management
systems in various countries across the African Region. Their expertise and guidance sought to enhance the capacity ofnational programmes to efficiently manage the procurement, storage, and distribution of NTD medicines, ultimately
improving access to treatment for affected populations.
Through effective management of allocations, ESPEN achieved significant cost savings and resource optimization.
ESPEN approved the allocation of 449 204 000 tablets of albendazole (ALB), mebendazole (MEB), praziquantel (PZQ),
and diethylcarbamazine (DEC) to 36 out of 44 countries. This strategic allocation saved 77 527 000 tablets, equivalent
to approximately US$ 20 million, by avoiding unnecessary requests. By carefully managing the allocation process,
ESPEN ensured that essential NTD medicines were distributed efficiently, addressing the needs of affected countries
while maximising the utilization of available resources.

Medicines requests (JAP) review and clearance for treatments planned in 2022

To ensure timely access to an adequate supply of quality medicines for endemic countries, ESPEN follows the official
WHO deadlines for quality medicines requests, which are 15 March and 15 July of each year. Once a request is approved,
it takes approximately six to ten months for the medicines to reach the national warehouses.
In 2021, ESPEN took proactive measures to meet the medicine needs of endemic countries. By carefully reviewing
and approving allocation requests, ESPEN successfully allocated a total of 449 204 000 tablets of albendazole (ALB),
mebendazole (MEB), praziquantel (PZQ), and diethylcarbamazine (DEC) to 36 out of 44 countries in the African Region.
These allocations ensured that the countries received sufficient quantities of the donated medicines.
By carefully managing the allocation process, ESPEN was able to save significant resources. A total of 130 288 379
tablets, equivalent to $4 million, were saved by avoiding unnecessary requests. This strategic allocation approach
optimized the utilization of available medicines, ensuring that they reached the countries where they were mostneeded. ESPEN’s efforts in managing the allocation process contributed to the efficient distribution and timely
availability of essential medicines for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases in the African Region.

Table 5: Medicines requests and review 2022
Medicines

Tablets initiallyrequested

Tablets approved

No. of tablets
saved

Unit priceTotal costs
saved

PZQ

247 647 000

285 855 000

0

0.13

0

ALB

198 175 379

110 381 000

87 794 379

0.03

2 633 831.37

MEB

65 280 337

42 000 000

23 280 000

0.0495

1 152 360

DEC

30 182 000

10 968 000

19 214 000

0.02

384 000

Total

541 284 716

449 204 000

130 288 379

32

Efficient monitoring of medicines utilization to reduce expiry and wastage rate

ESPEN recognizes the importance of monitoring medicine wastage and its impact on supply chain management
efficiency. This exercise aims to determine the actual quantities of drugs reaching targeted communities compared tothe overall quantities of medicines supplied. In public health supply chains, an acceptable wastage rate ranges from
2% to 4%, with a maximum of 5% of the volume supplied, demonstrating rational use and stewardship of the financial
allocation of health resources.
During the 2022 mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns, it was observed that approximately 8 568 000 tablets were
wasted due to various factors such as short shelf life, poor MDA planning, inaccurate quantifications and forecasts,
inadequate distribution planning, suboptimal inventory management, COVID-19 impact or lack of funding to conduct
MDAs. Out of the total donation of 247 339 000 tablets in 2022, the average wastage rate was calculated to be 3.4%.
To address these challenges and improve supply chain management, ESPEN provided proactive support incoordinating the shipment, delivery, and storage of medicines at central medical stores. This included expediting
green-light lead time, facilitating tax exemption processes, and reducing customs clearance delays. ESPEN worked
closely with countries’ NTD programmes, DHL, and pharmaceutical donors on a daily basis, offering technical support
in planning and monitoring shipments, including airfreight and sea freight bookings, pre-shipment inspections,
import permits, green-light processes, tax exemption, and customs clearance. These efforts were designed to ensure
the smooth flow of donated medicines and their timely arrival at central medical stores.
In 2022, out of a total of 74 planned shipments, 79% arrived in the respective countries, while the remaining 21%
were still in transit as of January 2023. The shipments that were still in transit mainly involved countries such as Chad,
Congo, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Burundi, Angola, Central African Republic, São Tomé and Príncipe, Madagascar,
Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. These shipments were for countries whose
requests were approved in 2022.
ESPEN’s commitment to optimizing supply chain management and providing ongoing support to countries andpartners ensures the efficient utilization of donated medicines and their timely delivery to the communities in need,ultimately contributing to the successful control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases in the African Region.

Inventory tracking to mitigate FCDO funding cut and COVID-19 expiry risks

In 2022, ESPEN took proactive measures to monitor drug inventories at both the national and subnational levels to
reduce the risk of drug expiry in countries. By the end of the year, ESPEN identified a potential risk of approximately 62
million praziquantel (PZQ) tablets expiring in the first half of 2023 if sufficient funding was not available to fully utilize
the drug. In addition, nearly 13 million of cysticercosis elimination drug (CED) tablets were at risk of expiring before
they could be used.
To address this critical issue, ESPEN co-hosted meetings with the affected countries and emphasized the importance ofgreater transparency and accountability in sharing accurate inventory data. Advocacy efforts were made to encouragecountries to develop contingency plans involving all relevant stakeholders. At the same time, ESPEN examined funding
gaps and identified priority areas where support was needed.
Through close monitoring and collaboration with the countries in question, ESPEN successfully prevented the expiry
of approximately 74 million tablets by ensuring they were utilized before reaching their expiry dates. Only 1.2 million
tablets were reported as expired in one country (Togo).
By effectively managing drug inventories and promoting timely utilization, ESPEN demonstrated its commitment to
optimizing the use of available resources and maximizing the impact of donated medicines in controlling neglected
tropical diseases in the African Region. Through these efforts, ESPEN contributed to safeguarding public health andadvancing the goals of disease control and elimination.

$4 150 191

33

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

PARTNERSHIPS AND
COORDINATION
Throughout the year, ESPEN actively participated in various meetings, trainings, and conferences related to neglected
tropical diseases (NTDs) and laboratory capacity development. The following is a summary of their involvement:

1
2

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

7
8

Other meetings and evaluations: Dr Bakajika participated in various national andregional meetings, such as the Nigeria Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee Meeting,
the Tanzania Annual Joint Planning Technical Working and Disease-Specific Groups
Meeting, and the Independent Committee for the Elimination of Onchocerciasis
Meeting in Niger.
WHO Global Meeting on Post-Validation Surveillance of Lymphatic Filariasis: ESPEN
took part in this meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss post-validation
surveillance strategies in the context of the integrated NTD Road map.

Throughout these engagements, ESPEN played an active role in supporting NTD programmes, providing technicalexpertise, and contributing to the overall efforts aimed at combating neglected tropical diseases.

Integrated Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis Regional Programme Review
Meeting: ESPEN attended this meeting held in Malawi at Umodzi Park, BICC, where
discussions on the progress of the programme took place.
Support for the Third Global Scientific Meeting on Trachomatous Trichiasis: ESPEN
provided financial support to the meeting held in Cape Town, South Africa. The
meeting focused on various themes related to trachomatous trichiasis, including
diagnosis, grading, and post-elimination management.

3

Laboratory capacity development: ESPEN emphasized the enhancement of effective
laboratory investigations and reporting. It provided training to programme managers
on laboratory investigations for taeniasis and other soil-transmitted helminths. In
addition, ESPEN supplied laboratory materials and equipment to support laboratory
capacity development.

4

Participation in meetings and conferences: Dr Bakajika, an ESPEN representative,
actively participated in multiple meetings and conferences. These included theInternational Coalition for Trachoma Control Meeting in London, the Stakeholder
Meeting on Vector Control and Alternative Treatment Strategy for Onchocerciasis in
Sally, Senegal, and the Trachoma Expert Committee Meeting in Decatur, Georgia, USA.

5

Training course on integrated control of NTDs: ESPEN provided technical support
in organizing a training course on the integrated control of NTDs by preventive
chemotherapy and One Health in Pemba, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania.
The training sought to enhance knowledge and skills related to the diagnosis ofhelminthiasis.

6

Annual Meeting of the East and Southern Africa Trachoma/NTDs Cross-border
Partnership: ESPEN attended this meeting held in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of
Tanzania, which focused on collaborative efforts to address trachoma and other NTDs
across borders.

34

Financial overview
Table 6: Funds utilization by objective – January 2022 to December 2022
Objectives

Amount utilised (USD)

Objective 1: Support affected Member States for the 5 PC-NTDs to scale up MDA toreach 100% geographic coverage

3,946,825.87

Objective 2: Scaling-down MDA toward PC-NTD elimination and reduction of thoseat-risk for NTDs

1,883,997.25

Objective 3: Promoting effective use of donated medicines

82,807.00

Objective 4: Strengthening information systems for evidence-based implementation-level decision-making

289,763.72

Objective 5: Enhancing collaboration, country ownership and health-systemstrengthening for sustainability

1,559,621.37

Human Resource Cost

2,021,335.00

Grand Total

9,784,350.21

Table 7: Funds distributed and utilised by WHO country offices in 2022
Countries
AngolaAmount Funded (USD)

Utilization (USD)

Fund balance (USD)

324,744.00

252,213.34

72,530.66

Botswana

115,043.00

72,535.92

42,507.08

Burundi276,009.00

162,417.05

113,591.95

Cameroon

194,248.00

12,232.00

182,016.00

Cape Verde

7,200.00

7,199.95

0.05

Chad

219,848.00

219,774.46

73.54

Comoros

66,667.00

32,973.53

33,693.47

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ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Countries

Amount Funded (USD)

Utilization (USD)

Fund balance (USD)

Congo, Republic of

429,477.00

410,366.07

19,110.93

Democratic Republicof Congo

2,138,668.00

1,674,577.45

464,090.55

Equatorial Guinea

182,000.00-

182,000.00

Ethiopia

475,935.00

436,039.74

39,895.26

Gabon

5,000.00-

5,000.00

Gambia11,000.00-

11,000.00

Ghana

16,490.00

16,490.00-

Guinea61,708.00

23,476.49

38,231.51

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Germany

Kenya

1,064,234.00

190,028.06

874,205.94

End FundLiberia

319,640.00

196,206.12

123,433.88

Germany

Madagascar

15,000.00

3,282.46

11,717.54

HQ Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases

Malawi

169,548.00

30,670.00

138,878.00

Japan

Mali

1,932.00-

1,932.00

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)

23,047.37

Donor supporting ESPEN -Project
ESPEN would like to acknowledge financial support from the donors listed below without whose support ESPEN
would not have achieved the current milestones.
Donors Supporting -ESPEN
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Christoffel-Blindenmission
Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom

28,245.63

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED)

12,000.00

Merck KGAA

102,694.47

35,242.53

Merck Sharp and Dohme Corp.,

10,000.00-

10,000.00

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development

Mauritania

51,293.00

Mozambique

12,000.00

Namibia

137,937.00

Niger
Nigeria

1,332,533.00

1,279,593.41

52,939.59

Qatar Fund For Development

Representative’s
Office, Somalia

336,551.00

335,534.56

1,016.44

Sightsavers

Senegal8,000.00-

8,000.00

Sierra Leone

14,592.00

9,597.37

4,994.63

South Africa

36,705.00

36,700.00

5.00

South Sudan

575,847.00

60,032.63

515,814.37

Swaziland

25,000.00

4,187.12

20,812.88

Tanzania

189,758.00

111,478.22

78,279.78

Tome & Principe

30,088.00

29,088.02

999.98

Uganda30,000.00

6,243.19

23,756.81

Zambia491,355.00

485,201.14

6,153.86

Zimbabwe

114,813.00

104,192.48

10,620.52

Grand Total

9,490,863.00

6,328,072.62

3,162,790.38

36

Swiss Development Cooperation Agency (SDC/DDC)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
World Bank

37

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

ESPEN ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Universal Health Coverage/Communicable
and Non-communicable Diseases

3839