USAID's NTD Program
Tools and Guidelines
USAID's NTD Control Program has developed and refined several state-of-the-art tools to plan for, monitor, and evaluate integrated NTD control programs at the country level. The tools included below are being used by NTD country program managers and other implementation partners working in support of government NTD programs. They can be adapted for different country settings. We encourage our partners to make use of these innovative tools. Comments and feedback can be provided to NTD@usaid.gov.
Tools
- NTD Funding Gap Analysis Tool
This costing tool aids country programs in developing their national neglected tropical disease (NTD) strategies and budgets. It is designed to assist NTD program managers in planning their programs and measuring their impact in terms of costs and outcomes, and combines budget and cost data with epidemiologic and demographic data. The tool helps managers project the estimated costs and effects of a program, and after the program has been completed, it can be used to evaluate what actually happened. The tool is an Excel workbook that is set up primarily to collect information according to activities, e.g., advocacy, monitoring and surveillance, etc. It also allows managers to keep track of the inputs that go into these activities, such as materials, equipment, and personnel. The workbook consists of pre-designed, modifiable sheets. These sheets are connected to summary pages that help track the total projected costs, costs per person, proportion of inputs, etc.
- Mass Drug Administration Coverage Reporting [Excel, 236KB]
The NTD Control Program developed this tool for its grantees to assist them with reporting coverage in countries following mass drug administration. This tool may also be adapted for use by other countries and partners. Also available in French [Excel, 227KB].
- Engaging NTD Stakeholders [PDF, 74KB]
Relationships with stakeholders in each country are paramount to developing a fully integrated and successful national NTD control program. Involving key stakeholders early in the program planning process to build local capacity and foster strong and productive relations with key technical partners is essential. This document provides guidelines for organizing, leading, and following up after NTD stakeholders' meetings. Although different countries have unique environments and disease epidemiological patterns, the principles and objectives remain the same.
- Writing NTD Country Success Stories [PDF, 338KB]
Success stories are critical elements of any public health program, and they are especially important for conveying results in a health area that has historically been "neglected," such as NTDs. This PowerPoint presentation describes the key elements of a success story and provides useful advice for creating a captivating story that can be used for advocacy and results communication to a wide range of audiences.
Guidelines
The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed several key guidelines and manuals for the implementation and monitoring and evaluation of integrated NTD programs, which are summarized below.
| Accelerating Work to Overcome the Global Impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases – A Roadmap for Implementation [PDF, 644KB] | |
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Efforts to combat the neglected tropical diseases reached a turning point in 2007, when WHO convened the first meeting of global partners. That meeting produced a shared commitment to support WHO strategies and goals by working together in an innovative, flexible and cost-effective way. The result has been streamlined and integrated approaches that have yielded significant gains for public health. This roadmap for implementation represents the next step forward in relieving and, in many cases, finally ending the vast misery caused by these ancient diseases of poverty. |
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| Preventive Chemotherapy in Human Helminthiasis: Coordinated Use of Anthelminthic Drugs in Control Interventions – A Manual for Health Professionals and Programme Managers [PDF, 1.6MB] | |
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This manual is intended to guide the coordinated implementation of regular, systematic, large-scale interventions that provide anthelminthic drug treatment as a core component of the joint and synergic control of helminthic diseases, such as lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. The manual focuses mainly on anthelminthic treatment, but other drugs used to eliminate other agents can be potentially associated with those mentioned in the manual; as a reference to trachoma control through the SAFE strategy, combining drug treatment with hygiene and environmental management can be associated with helminth control interventions to boost the overall health of affected communities. |
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| Monitoring Drug Coverage for Preventive Chemotherapy [PDF, 1MB] |
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This manual describes how data collectors at the peripheral level, health workers, and mid-level data managers can use the data they collect to assess progress, identify problems, and take corrective action in order to improve program quality and success. The manual is designed to facilitate data integration and improve coordination of information management activities at the field level, and promote collaboration among the diverse groups contributing to the global control of helminthiasis. |
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| Monitoring and Epidemiological Assessment of Mass Drug Administration in the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: a Manual for National Elimination Programmes [PDF, 1MB] |
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This manual is intended for managers of national lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination programs; program staff working at national, regional, and district levels; development and technical agencies; nongovernmental organizations; regional program review groups; and other organizations involved in supporting mass drug administration (MDA) activities for LF. |
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Evaluation of Drug Coverage for Preventive Chemotherapy
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