Assessing the practicalities of joint snakebite and dog rabies control programs: Commonalities and potential pitfalls

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Rabies and snakebite are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) predominantly affecting impoverished communities in Africa and Asia.
• These diseases collectively cause an estimated 200,000 deaths annually.
• Both diseases share common challenges faced by NTDs, including lack of prioritization and resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility of an integrated approach to managing rabies and snakebite, aligning with the NTD Roadmap's call for integrated strategies.
• To identify commonalities between rabies and snakebite programs for potential integration.
• To analyze potential pitfalls and unique challenges in integrating these specific disease programs.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of rabies and snakebite intervention programs.
• Identification of commonalities and unique aspects of each disease's management.
• Literature review and conceptualization of integrated NTD approaches.

Main Results:

• Multiple areas for potential integration between rabies and snakebite programs were identified.
• Significant potential pitfalls and unique program nuances were highlighted, posing challenges to direct integration.
• Health system strengthening and capacity building emerged as key commonalities and focal points for integration.

Conclusions:

• While direct program integration presents challenges, a unified approach focusing on strengthening health systems is recommended for neglected tropical diseases like rabies and snakebite.
• Strengthening overall health systems can enhance the capacity of both rabies and snakebite programs to advocate for increased government and stakeholder support.
• An integrated strategy emphasizing health system strengthening offers a viable pathway to improve outcomes for neglected diseases in underserved populations.