Access to quality care of gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis for all people at risk in the DRC

Duration

2022-2026

Lead institutions

Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM)

Program National de Lutte contre la Trypanosomiasis Humaine Africaine (PNLTHA)

Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB)

Centre de Recherche en Santé de Kimpese (CRSK)

Academic partners

Elena Nicco (ITM)

Erick Miaka (PNLTHA)

Jean-Jacques Muyembe (INRB)

Project status

Ongoing

General objective

The goal of this intervention is to ensure “Access to quality care for gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis (gHAT) for all at-risk populations in DRC,” supporting the long-term objective of eliminating HAT transmission by 2030. This aligns with the target set in the WHO NTD roadmap for 2030.

Summary

This programme will support PNLTHA in conducting active screening across at-risk provinces, refining the balance between mobile teams and integrated passive case detection to improve coverage and facilitate access to treatment. Quality assurance systems for HAT diagnosis will be enhanced, with digital tools for supervision, regional reference laboratories for advanced diagnostics, and strengthened collaboration between PNLTHA, INRB, and CRSK.

Additionally, capacity-building initiatives, including fellowships for young scientists and improved management structures, will ensure long-term sustainability, supporting the transition towards more targeted strategies and preparing for the potential introduction of acoziborole-based treatment.