Handbook on Neglected Tropical Diseases – IFMSA-Quebec

Name of the activity: Handbook on Neglected Tropical Diseases

Country/NMO: IFMSA-Québec (Activity Coordinator), MedSin Sudan, BMSS Bangladesh, ACEM Costa Rica, IMSA-Iran, AMSA-Philippines.

Program: Communicable Diseases

Contact information: contact [email protected] to get in touch with the Activity Coordinator

Type of the activity: First-time Activity

Category: Education

Focus area: Prevention of Communicable Diseases | Neglected Tropical Diseases (focus on Rabies, Dengue and Echinococcosis)

Sustainable Development Goals addressed: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

Problem statement:

To this day, neglected tropical diseases remain excluded from the core curriculum of many medical schools around the world. Medical students need a better understanding of this key health issue that affects roughly 1.6 billion people around the world with the burden being greatest among poor, marginalized communities. 

Target groups:

• Medical students

Beneficiaries:

• General population
• Medical students
• Healthcare Students

Objectives:

(1) Provide a concise overview of the 20 neglected tropical diseases listed by the WHO through an easy-access handbook for medical students by December 2022. 

(2) Have the handbook verified by multiple experts.

(3) Share the handbook and make it available for medical students all over the world.

(4) Review the handbook content annually to update information to the latest data. 

Indicators of Success:

(1) The Handbook is completed and shared with NMOs by December 2022.

(2) At least 5 experts have reviewed the content of the handbook before its publication. 

(3) Reach over 500 students from at least 25 countries in the first 6 months of the publication of the handbook .

(4) The handbook is reviewed and updated annually.

Methodology:

(1) The team will identify clear objectives. (2) Small groups will research up-to-date information pertaining to pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, complications and prognosis, and preventive measures. Groups will then write clinical summaries for each disease. (3) One group will create clinical cases to illustrate the differential diagnosis, as well as the social determinants of health and environmental factors associated with the diseases. (4) The draft will be edited and reviewed by clinical experts. (5) The handbook will be shared on IFMSA NMO’s platforms (Facebook pages and groups, email, etc.). (6) The handbook could eventually be translated in other languages.  (7) A group will research new updates on neglected tropical diseases and will make adjustments to the handbook content annually. Recruitment of new members to form the group may be required annually.

Plans for evaluation:

At the end of the Activity, a final report will be written to assess indicators of success. A link to a short survey will be included within the handbook, as well as in messages when sharing the handbook through emails and social media. The survey will assess students’ appreciation of the following : content, summary, clinical cases, visual layout, and helpfulness. Students will also be asked to identify in which country they are currently studying. 

External collaborations:

Health professionals that have an expertise in infectious diseases, specifically in neglected tropical diseases.