THE REALITY OF NEGLECTED DISEASES IN ANGOLA (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Introduction: Neglected diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of preventable and treatable infectious and endemic diseases that affect 1.5 million people in 149 countries. African, Asian and Latin American populations are the most affected, taking into account the conditions of poverty experienced by them, the lack of access to basic sanitation and the close contact they maintain with different vectors, domestic animals, and livestock cultures, being that 40% live in Africa. Together, these diseases cause between 500,000 and 1 million deaths annually. Among other neglected diseases in Angola, the main ones mapped and considered endemic are: onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis and trypanosomiasis. Objective: To analyze the reality of neglected diseases in Angola. Methodology: This is a narrative literature review study, essentially focused on resolutions and decrees, which address the related theme, published by the Angolan government and partners. Partial results: The country has been presenting progress in the coverage of people with needs for mass NTD treatment, based on percentage rates ranging from 1 to 50%. Conclusion: In Angola, the scope of coverage for the reduction of schistosomiasis is due to the implementation of preventive chemotherapy. The country still has the challenge of continuing to work to simultaneously improve the rates of lymphatic filariasis and soil-transmitted helminths, starting treatment with albendazole in areas recognized as endemic, requiring financial allocation as one of the assumptions for the materialization of the policy disease reduction.eliminate the vector and diseases in the population to avoid the chain of transmission.