LeishAccess consortium

Epicentre is a member of the LeishAcess consortium. This four-year project seeks to improve access to care for patients, including vulnerable groups, suffering from leishmaniasis in its various forms (visceral leishmaniasis; cutaneous leishmaniasis; post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis—a complication that can appear after visceral leishmaniasis treatment; and visceral leishmaniasis/HIV co-infection).

LeishAccess seeks to facilitate the update and adoption of new diagnostics and treatment options for visceral leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis/HIV co-infection, and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, as well as prove the efficacy and tolerability of thermotherapy for the treatment of uncomplicated cutaneous leishmaniasis. Operational research will fill gaps in knowledge. Advocacy and communication will help increase national and regional political support as well as community awareness and public awareness in leishmaniasis.

The project is being implemented by a consortium of key health experts and institutions seeking to improve access to diagnosis and treatment for leishmaniasis across Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. This work contributes to the World Health Organization's neglected tropical diseases roadmap that targets the control/elimination of visceral leishmaniasis and the control of cutaneous leishmaniasis as a public health problem by 2030. This project is part of the EDCTP2 Programme supported by the European Union.

Objective

Improve access to care for leishmaniasis patients, including vulnerable groups, for the various forms of the disease (visceral leishmaniasis, cutaneous leishmaniasis, PKDL, and HIV-VL)