Vestergaard renews fight against sleeping sickness with tiny targets donation

SWITZERLAND—Vestergaard Sàrl has reinforced its dedication to eliminating sleeping sickness by signing the Kigali Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

 This commitment includes the continued donation of “Tiny Targets,” an innovative vector control tool designed to reduce the spread of the disease.

The announcement was made in conjunction with World NTD Day, observed annually on January 30 to raise awareness of the impact of NTDs on vulnerable populations and to encourage global action to eliminate them.

Launched in June 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda, the Kigali Declaration is a high-level political commitment aimed at mobilizing resources, securing funding, and strengthening global partnerships to end suffering caused by NTDs.

By signing this declaration, Vestergaard joins 83 other governments and organizations that have pledged their support.

Sleeping sickness, scientifically known as human African trypanosomiasis, is a life-threatening disease caused by protozoan parasites transmitted through the bites of infected tsetse flies. If left untreated, it is almost always fatal.

The gambiense form of the disease accounts for 92% of reported cases, with most affected individuals living in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

This announcement follows a milestone achievement, as Guinea was recently recognized as the eighth country to eliminate gambiense sleeping sickness as a public health problem.

 Global efforts to combat the disease have led to remarkable progress—reported cases have dropped by 98%, from 27,862 in 1999 to just 675 in 2023.

The World Health Organization (WHO) now aims to eliminate the transmission of sleeping sickness in 15 countries by 2030, as outlined in its NTD Road Map (2021–2030).

Vestergaard’s Role in Sleeping Sickness Elimination

To support these efforts, Vestergaard contributes to the TrypaNO! and TrypElim partnerships, which integrate vector control with a “screen, diagnose, and treat” strategy to drive cases to zero.

Collaborating with partners such as the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, FIND, the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), and Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), Vestergaard manufactures Tiny Targets—small fabric panels treated with insecticide that attract and kill tsetse flies, preventing further infections.

Since 2020, Vestergaard has been donating Tiny Targets to affected regions.

By signing the Kigali Declaration, the company is formalizing its pledge to donate up to 150,000 Tiny Targets annually, supporting the WHO’s 2030 elimination target.

This commitment is publicly tracked through the Kigali Declaration Commitment Tracker, an online platform managed by Uniting to Combat NTDs.

Amar Ali, CEO of Vestergaard, emphasized that while disease elimination may seem like an ambitious goal, the progress made in controlling sleeping sickness shows that it is within reach.

He credited the success to strong partnerships, effective vector control, and accessible diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Ali also acknowledged the essential role of cross-border collaboration and thanked Vestergaard’s TrypaNO! partners for their ongoing support.

Dr. Andrew Hope, Senior Programme Manager at LSTM, highlighted Vestergaard’s crucial role in the Tiny Targets programme since its early stages.

He noted that the company has made significant technical contributions to the design and materials of Tiny Targets and has provided annual donations to sustain the initiative.

Dr. Isatou Touray, Executive Director of Uniting to Combat NTDs, applauded Vestergaard’s continued efforts, emphasizing that innovation and strong partnerships are key to achieving the WHO’s 2030 NTD goals.

He stressed that as global funding becomes more challenging, sustained commitments like Vestergaard’s are essential to protect past achievements and further reduce disease transmission.

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