A Proposal to Support the Categorization of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) by the World Health Organization (WHO)

Authors

Desmond McCaffery, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Rosemary Frasso, PhD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Colin Plover, PhD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

11-22-2019

Comments

Presentation: 6:33

Poster attached as supplemental file below

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the disease of noma (cancrum oris), neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), and examines the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for the adoption of additional diseases as NTDs. The paper evaluates available literature on noma to make the case that noma disproportionately impacts impoverished populations, primarily affects people living in tropical areas, is amenable to broad control, elimination, or eradication, is neglected by research, and demonstrates a need for a global response. This paper further examines the benefits of being designated as an NTD by the WHO and offers recommendations for what is needed to support the submission of a proposal to the WHO STAG for NTDs. The results suggest that noma meets these NTD adoption criteria and therefore should be considered for categorization by the WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) for NTDs.

Recommended Citation

McCaffery, Desmond; Frasso, PhD, Rosemary; and Plover, PhD, Colin, "A Proposal to Support the Categorization of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) by the World Health Organization (WHO)" (2019). Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations. Presentation 310.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/mphcapstone_presentation/310

Language

English