The Collaborative Research and Training Center for Neglected Tropical Diseases (CRT-NTD) at Arba Minch University (AMU) has launched a critical initiative to address the burden of mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease (NTD). A two-day training program titled “Mycetoma-Epi Study Initiation and Data Collectors Training” took place from October 22 to 23 at the Wubete Hotel, Arba Minch. Click here to see more photos.
Dr. Desta Galecha, Chief Executive Director of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at AMU, emphasized the importance of the training in his opening remarks. “Mycetoma is one of the NTDs that has never been thoroughly studied in Ethiopia,” he said. “This training provides crucial information to understand the burden of the disease and develop effective strategies for its management,” Dr. Desta noted. He also remarked that while mycetoma is now recognized as one of the NTDs included in Ethiopia’s national strategic plan, its true prevalence and impact have yet to be fully documented.
Belachew Bokicha, the Regional NTD Program Manager, highlighted the importance of empowering frontline health professionals. “This project is crucial for eliminating NTDs in the region,” he noted. “Training health professionals from endemic areas will strengthen their ability to identify, treat, and prevent mycetoma,” Mr. Belachew said. He optimistically expresses that the study’s findings could lead to mycetoma being officially recognized as the 13th disease in the national NTD Program.
The training is part of a broader project funded by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), in collaboration with Arba Minch, Bahir Dar, and Mekele Universities. The project aims to map the burden of mycetoma across four Ethiopian regions: Tigray, Afar, Amhara, and Southern Ethiopia. Mycetoma, a chronic and debilitating infection caused by fungi or bacteria, has been under-reported and poorly understood in Ethiopia due to the lack of accurate epidemiological data hampering efforts to address the disease effectively. Once the burden is mapped, the project envisions conducting clinical trials to find an effective treatment for mycetoma. The principal investigator of the study is Professor Wendemagegn Enbiale, an honorary staff of AMU.
Several experts contributed to the training, including Professor Wendemagegn Enbiale, who detailed national and global strategies for controlling NTDs, emphasizing the need for reliable data collection and research. “The Third National Neglected Tropical Diseases Strategic Plan 2021-2025” by Mr. Alemayehu Bekele briefed the global burden of NTDs and their socio-economic impact, “Mycetoma: Introduction and Etiopathogenesis” by Dr. Mehiret Techana, discussed the disease’s manifestations and challenges, and “Clinical Features and Management of Mycetoma” by Professor Wendemagegn B. provided insights into mycetoma’s clinical management and classification within global NTD frameworks.
The training equipped 25 health personnel from Konso Zone with the skills and knowledge necessary to identify, manage, and prevent mycetoma. The trainees include nurses, health officers, and NTD coordination office staff trained by experts from AMU along with those from Kenya.
Concluding the event, AMU-CRT-NTD Director Abinet Hailemichael reaffirmed the center’s commitment to tackle the challenges posed by NTDs in Ethiopia. He emphasized that this mapping project is a crucial foundation for future clinical interventions aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing healthcare needs in resource-limited regions. This training represents a significant stride in combating mycetoma and other NTDs in Ethiopia and may serve as a model for future health initiatives across the country.
Dr. Dereje and Dr. Nick Kisenges facilitated the training program which covered the study protocol, data collection tools, and the importance of good clinical practice.
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