ABSTRACT
Since its establishment in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) has organized a series of expert committee meetings to address individual tropical diseases that are included in WHO’s list of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in order to formulate appropriate evidence-based control strategies. Between 1948 and 2012, as many as 66 resolutions have been adopted for individual diseases. In response to trends in the global public-health agenda—notably primary health care in the 1970s and the Millennium Development Goals in the 2020s—WHO established the Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases in 2005. The aim was to contribute to poverty alleviation and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by addressing 17 NTDs in an integrated manner rather than by vertical disease-specific programmes.<BR>Since then, WHO has led a dynamic trend in the global community to overcome NTDs, including organization of the first global partners meeting on NTDs in 2007, publication of the first WHO report on NTDs in 2010 and in 2012 the WHO roadmap to accelerate work towards the 2015 and 2020 targets for control, elimination and eradication of NTDs, and the announcement in 2013 of the London Declaration by 13 pharmaceutical companies and various donors and partners, and the publication of the second WHO report on NTDs. In May 2013, the World Health Assembly adopted the first resolution to call for increased efforts and support to control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs as a whole, contrary to the past disease-specific resolutions.<BR>The present paper is intended to introduce Japanese audiences in the field of public health to this 66th World Health Assembly Resolution on NTDs and to the work of WHO in leading the global trend towards control and elimination of NTDs.
ABSTRACT
Integrated Vector Management (IVM) is defined as "a rational decision-making process for the optimal use of resources for vector control". The approach seeks to improve the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, ecological soundness and sustainability of disease-vector control. The ultimate goal of IVM is to prevent the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and Chagas disease.<br> WHO promotes the principles of IVM as set out in the “Global strategic framework for integrated vector management”. It lists five key elements of IVM: capacity building; advocacy and social mobilization; legislation framework; evidence-based decision-making; and integrated approaches. This framework is in line with the global plan for 2008-2015 to combat neglected tropical diseases through delivery of multi-intervention packages, which also promotes the IVM approach. <br> In 2008, WHO produced the position statement on IVM to support the advancement of IVM as an important component of vector-borne disease control. The member states are invited to accelerate the development of national policies and strategies, while international organizations, donor agencies and other stakeholders are encouraged to support the capacity strengthening necessary for implementation of IVM. <br> In order to take the next step and to transform the framework and policies into actual implementation, the first IVM stakeholders meeting was held in Geneva in November 2009. The meeting developed a roadmap aimed at strengthening evidence-based decision-making for new initiatives and recommended the establishment of a partnership mechanism to facilitate effective information sharing and foster better collaboration with regards to the implementation of IVM.<br> This paper introduces the IVM position statement in Japanese language with the aim of disseminating the concept and approach of IVM in Japan.