The big three versus NTDs - finding common purpose.

Abstract

Abstract Even so, no country in sub-Saharan Africa before 2000 had national control programs for any of the seven programs, with the exception of cervical cancer. Onchocerciasis is the target of the Africa Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) with the help of many NGOs organisation using the drug mectizan (ivermectin). The use of drug financing at APOC is revolutionary. They had, for the first time, established as a viable concept with leprosy control programs, and now, with APOC, demonstrated that pharmaceutical companies can and will reuse a drug and treat it as part of a humanitarian response. This book chapter focused on repurposing drugs against schistosomiasis.