A. Severo
Moacir, craftsman, driver and atikum Indian. He lost his father, mother and brother to Chagas disease. He is disease free.
© Credits

World Chagas Disease Day 2023

 

Campaign key messages and call to action

 

 

 

General public, health professionals, communities, patient groups...

  • Chagas disease mainly affects poor populations of continental Latin America, but is increasingly being detected in other countries and continents. 6-7 million people are estimated to be infected with the Chagas disease causative parasite: Trypanosoma cruzi worldwide, with 30,000-40,000 new cases and 10,000-20,000 deaths every year.
  • Chagas disease is often termed as a “silent and silenced disease” as the infected majority have no symptoms (or mild symptoms). Also, it affects mainly poor people who have no political voice or access to health care. 75 million people are currently estimated to be at risk of infection. 
  • Chagas disease is responsible for social stigma and discrimination. Stigma can isolate people. It can drive people to hide their infection or illness to avoid discrimination and can even prevent them from seeking medical care. It’s time to end any kind of stigmatization, discrimination or negligence against people with Chagas disease. 
  • Although there is presently no vaccine available to prevent Chagas disease, there are several measures people can take to safeguard themselves against it. These include maintaining proper house hygiene to prevent the spread of insects, adhering to safe practices when preparing and storing food and following travel medical recommendations. 
  • To kill the parasite, Chagas disease can be treated with benznidazole or nifurtimox. Both medicines are nearly 100% effective in curing the disease if given soon after infection at the onset of the acute phase, including the cases of congenital transmission. 


 

Call for action

  • Share accurate, evidence-based and updated information about risks associated with Chagas disease.
  • Talk about Chagas diseases, without pointing to locations or ethnicity of people affected by the disease.
  • Be empathetic towards infected people or who those who have died due to Chagas disease. 

 

 

Policy makers

  • An estimated 10,000 people die every year from clinical manifestations or complications of Chagas disease, and about 75 million people are at risk of acquiring the disease. Chagas disease imposes a heavy and long burden on families, communities, health systems, economy, etc. To beat Chagas disease, it is crucial to achieve universal health coverage, starting at primary care level.
  • Chagas disease is a complex socio-economic, environmental health problem and the lack of understanding Chagas as a multidimensional challenge led to fragmented approaches and contributed to its neglected condition.
  • In many countries, there are low detection rates (<10%, frequently <1%) and frequent barriers to access adequate healthcare.
  • The implementation of case notification and establishment of robust surveillance systems from the primary care level are crucial to decreasing incidence of infection and defeating Chagas disease. 

 

 

Call for action

  • Countries should increase the investment in capacity and resources for prevention, diagnosis, control and surveillance, starting at primary healthcare level.


 

 

 

Partners and donors

  • Chagas disease is a complex socio-economic, environmental health problem and the lack of understanding Chagas as a multidimensional challenge led to fragmented approaches and contributed to its neglected condition.
  • Global joint efforts should be made in raising the awareness of the extent of illness, suffering, disability and death associated with Chagas disease.
  • Chagas disease affects 6 to 7 million people worldwide. It is one of the most prevalent public health threats in Latin America and increasingly in the other countries and continents. Chagas disease is becoming a global health challenge with enormous social and economic burdens for the people and community affected by it.
  • Chagas disease is often termed as “a silent and silenced disease” because most people with infection show no symptoms and affects the people living poorly (neglected disease). People with Chagas disease usually have no access to quality medical care, nor a political voice. In many countries, the detection rates are low, i.e.<10%, frequently <1%.

Call for action

  • Advocate for care, epidemiological surveillance, and increased investment, starting at primary healthcare level
  • Make joint efforts with the governments and local health authorities in funding care, treatment, surveillance of Chagas disease, from primary care level to other health care levels.
  • Increase investments in Chagas disease patients’ access to diagnosis, safe treatment, care, starting at primary care level.

 

 

 

Partners and donors

  • Chagas disease is a life-threatening disease, which can be transmitted by insect vectors, through oral transmission (contaminated food), blood transfusions, organ transplant, mother-to-child transmission or laboratory accidents. People with Chagas disease have no symptoms. Most people affected by Chagas disease live in poverty. Thus it is also termed “a silent and silenced disease”.
  • It is important to notify the cases timely and to identify systematically “where the affected population is located” and “how many people are affected by Chagas disease”, starting at primary care level. 

Call for action

  • More research is needed on effective prevention and cost–effective interventions, including screening (blood, newborns and children, etc.), early case detection, prompt, accessible treatment of cases, vector control, hygiene and food safety.

#WorldChagasDiseaseDay | #Chagas | #HealthEquity