Senegal Hosts WHO GONE Initiative

PWOnlyIAS

November 06, 2023

Context:

  • More than 150 partners, including health officials, experts, and organizations, gathered in Senegal in November 2023 for the inaugural meeting of GONE initiative.
  • The primary goal was strengthening collaboration among countries and partners working toward onchocerciasis elimination.

GONE Initiative – Global Onchocerciasis Elimination Network

  • GONE initiative is a country-driven initiative supported by WHO, emphasizing being pragmatic, flexible and solutions-oriented to meet the needs of national programs.
  • Launch:Gone Initiative launched in January 2023 by WHO, Member States, and partners.
  • Goal: Empower countries to accelerate progress towards onchocerciasis elimination targets.
  • Key Focus Areas of GONE Initiative
    • Strengthening Communication and Partnerships
    • Empowering Countries to Achieve Onchocerciasis Targets for 2030
  • Global Prevalence: Affects at least 244 million people in 31 countries, with Africa bearing 99% of the burden, and 1% in the border area between Brazil and Venezuela.
    • Four countries have been verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating transmission of the disease: Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico.

Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)

  • Global Impact
    • Second leading infectious cause of worldwide blindness.Classified as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) by WHO.
  • Affected Populations
    • Affects people in isolated and underserved rural communities.
    • Concentrated in some of the world’s poorest regions.
  • Transmission and Effects
    • Caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus.
    • Spread by black flies near fast-flowing rivers.
    • Symptoms: Severe skin irritation, itching, and irreversible blindness.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)

  • They are a diverse group of 20 conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas. 
  • They are caused by various pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins. 
  • These diseases cause devastating health, social and economic consequences to more than one billion people.
  • They are ‘neglected’ because they are almost absent from the global health agenda.

GONE-initiative

News Source: WHO

 

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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
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Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
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