Neglected Tropical Disease Modelling Consortium

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are at a crucial point in global policy decision making. Huge investments and global efforts have reduced the burden of these diseases in many of the poorest populations of the world but continuing investment is required to eliminate these diseases as public health problems and to continue progress from elimination to eradication. Quantitative modelling and analysis make important contributions to this endeavour. The Gates-funded NTD Modelling Consortium is an international team of NTD modellers who are working to support NTD policy in these areas for seven diseases:

• Gambian human African trypanosomiasis
• Lymphatic filariasis
• Onchocerciasis
• Schistosomiasis
• Soil-transmitted helminthiasis
• Trachoma
• Visceral leishmaniasis.

Within the consortium, CHICAS provides statistical expertise to complement the mathematical modelling expertise of other consortium members. Our current methodological focus is on the development and application of geospatial statistical methods for the design and analysis of prevalence surveys when the disease in question is at or close to elimination. These include computationally and statistically efficient methods for real-time health surveillance and optimal combination of “hard” and ”soft” outcomes (eg prevalence surveys and mobile technology usage).