A Step Towards Improved Public Health: Enhancing NTD Reporting and Data Management
In the ongoing battle against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), evidence-based decision-making at the subnational level is imperative. To ensure NTDs National Programs can accurately report on preventive chemotherapy (PC), epidemiological data and request for donated medicines, the Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) conducted from April 15 to April 19, a hands-on training Workshop on JAP Tools and Processes.
The "Training Workshop on the Joint Application Package (JAP) Tools and Processes," convened participants from selected Ministries of Health, implementing partners and WHO country offices in the WHO AFRO region and was designed to address critical challenges hindering the efficient submission and validation of treatment data, survey results, and medicine applications.
Background and Importance: The ESPEN portal serves as a crucial platform for sharing subnational program data related to various PC-NTDs, including lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, schistosomiasis, and trachoma. The portal relies on timely submission of high-quality data to inform decisions regarding planning and implementation of preventive chemotherapy activities. Despite notable improvements since its inception, challenges such as data discrepancies and delays persist, underscoring the need for strengthened capacity-building initiatives.
Objectives and Outcomes: The workshop aimed to address these challenges through specific objectives:
- Improve the understanding of participants with regards to WHO guidelines for NTDs, leading to better alignment of national strategies with global recommendations.
- Provide comprehensive training on updated JAP forms.
- Development of projected demographic estimates for PC-NTDs.
- Provide technical support to NTD programs in completing and submitting critical forms.
Outputs of the workshop
The outputs of the workshop were the following:
1. Participants have been updated on the progress towards the NTD roadmap 2021-2030 targets, as well as with the latest protocols for MDA and M&E activities concerning lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and trachoma.
2. Participants have been briefed on the Supply Chain Management Standard Operation Procedures and tools available for keeping track of medicine consumptions & inventories.
3. Participants have been thoroughly trained on the latest Joint Application Package (JAP) forms and briefed on the ESPEN Collect Support Services.
A total of 46 participants from 12 country NTD programs (Benin, Congo , DRC, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, United Republic of Tanzania Mainland and Tanzania Zanzibar), 6 implementing partners institutions (Clinton Health Access Initiative, FHI 360, INSUPPLY HEALTH, RTI International, Sightsavers, and Unlimit Health), 5 WHO country offices (Ethiopia, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Togo and Tanzania) and WHO HQs.
4. Each NTD program has collaboratively developed a consensus on the tentative projected demographics and populations requiring preventive chemotherapy (PC) for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), Onchocerciasis (ONC), Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH), and Schistosomiasis (SCH).
All NTD programs have agreed on the source of baseline demographics to be used for requesting medicine in 2025 and for use for the next three years until an updated census data has become available at country level. Using the agreed demography, ESPEN will be prepopulating JRF and JRSM in the coming years. For SCH, countries have started the review of their workbook checking for completeness of epidemiological data and understanding the functionality. There is an ongoing work to be performed at country level to revie the results of the analysis within the workbook and proceed to its validation.
5. Each NTD program has completed and submitted the 2023 Joint Reporting Form (JRF2023) and the 2025 Joint Request for Selected Medicines (JRSM 2025), along with any outstanding Epidemiological data Reporting Forms (EPIRF).
The participating countries were supported in finalizing their JRF2023, review and update their prepopulated JRSM2025, and reconcile the medicines inventory to identify inventory gap.
The participants' satisfaction survey conducted after the workshop closure revealed positive feedback: 53% of participants found the workshop satisfactory, 29% rated it as very satisfactory, and 12% found it somewhat satisfactory. There was no negative rating, indicating the overall high satisfaction among attendees.
Implementation and Recommendations: To maximize effectiveness, several recommendations were considered, including inviting coordinators from different disease programs to ensure comprehensive understanding and communication.
Future Implications: The workshop's success lays a foundation for strengthened NTD control efforts, aligning national strategies with WHO guidelines. The recommendations for future workshops emphasize continued capacity-building, streamlined communication, and enhanced collaboration between stakeholders.
In conclusion, the Training on the Joint Application Package (JAP) Tools and Processes workshop marks a significant step forward in the fight against NTDs in the African Region. By addressing challenges and implementing key recommendations, it sets the stage for more effective, evidence-based interventions and ultimately, improved public health outcomes.
As ESPEN continues to evolve, such workshops remain integral in empowering national programs to effectively combat NTDs and improve public health outcomes across the African continent.