“UNITAID calls on the global health community and governments to make Chagas disease a priority and to support ongoing efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission and improve access to testing and treatment,” said Hervé. Verhoosel, UNITAID Communications Officer.
“Together, by integrating it into primary health care and systematically screening mothers and babies, we can make Chagas a disease of the past,” he said, adding that the world day aims to raise awareness.
First commemorated in 2020, the day is themed this year, “It’s time to integrate Chagas disease into primary healthcare”, reflecting a call to action to combat the spread of the disease. , which affects up to 7 million people worldwide.
transmitted by insects
“If not detected early, Chagas can cause serious heart and digestive problems and can even be fatal,” said the Director General of theOMSTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that most of those affected are from low-income communities with limited access to healthcare.
However, the majority of those infected show no symptoms or mild symptoms that may go unnoticed for decades, UNITAID pointed out. Chagas can cause heart, neurological and digestive problems if left untreated, Verhoosel said.
As such, it is often referred to as the “silent or silenced disease”, making awareness essential to improve early treatment and cure rates, he added.
Almost all continents affected
Originally seen in rural areas, the disease has now moved to urban settings in 44 countries spanning all continents except Antarctica. Up to 75 million people live in exposure areas, putting them at risk of infection, UNITAID said.
Detection rates are often very low in many countries; only 10% of people living with the disease receive a diagnosis and 1% receive effective treatment.
“In Latin America, where it is endemic in 21 countries, Chagas disease is the leading cause of death from the parasite, ahead of malaria,” Verhoosel said.
To tackle Chagas disease, it is essential that it is integrated into primary health care and that these services reach those in need, UNITAID said. Cross-sectoral approaches are also needed, including universal health coverage, vector control and access to testing and treatment.
Prevention efforts
Together with regional and global health partners, UNITAID is working to prevent mother-to-child transmission and improve access to affordable testing and treatment.
Through projects like CUIDA Chagas and its partnership with the Pan American Health Organization, UNITAID seeks to identify better and shorter ways to test and treat Chagas disease, and to advance the elimination of maternal transmission. -child of this neglected disease.
The CUIDA Chagas project is an innovative international initiative focused on the detection, treatment and care of people affected by Chagas disease in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay. Through an approach that combines implementation and innovation, community engagement and market interventions, CUIDA Chagas seeks to contribute to the elimination of vertical disease transmission.
