To mark World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day, a team of scientists from the Ifakara Health Institute joined a live radio talk show to educate the public on the risks, prevention and treatment of neglected tropical diseases.

During the show, Ifakara scientists, Dr. Maganga Sambo, a field epidemiologist specializing in rabies and Dr. Emmanuel Mwanga, a vector biologist, talked about the institute’s ongoing efforts to protect communities from NTDs.

The interview aired on Pambazuko FM, a popular community radio station in Ifakara town, and was hosted by presenter Isidory Matandula of the “Mtazamo” programme, a segment dedicated to discussions on community issues.

During the discussion, the scientists focused on two key NTDs. The first was river blindness (onchocerciasis), a disease caused by parasitic worms spread by blackflies. The second was rabies, a deadly but preventable viral disease. They explained how both diseases continue to affect many people, especially in rural and underserved communities in Ifakara and beyond.

Listeners were encouraged to take simple protective actions such as maintaining good hygiene, using safe water, participating in mass drug administration campaigns for parasitic diseases, and promptly reporting and treating animal bites.

The interactive programme allowed listeners to call in, ask questions and share concerns about the two major NTDs, whereby Drs. Sambo and Mwanga helped to clear myths and promote practical health actions that communities can take.

Through platforms like Pambazuko FM, IHI continues to bring vital health information closer to the public, strengthening community engagement and supporting national and global efforts to end neglected tropical diseases, including rabies.

More about Ifakara’s work on rabies

IHI is a key partner in Tanzania’s efforts to eliminate human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030, in line with the global “Zero by 30” strategy.

Key areas of IHI’s work include:

1. SOS-Rabies project (2024–2028): An implementation research initiative that aims to improve vaccine access, strengthen One Health systems, and scale up effective rabies control strategies.
2. Mass dog vaccination: IHI supports large-scale dog vaccination campaigns, the most effective way to stop rabies transmission at its source. These efforts have contributed to major progress in areas such as Pemba Island.
3. Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM): Strengthening surveillance by linking bite victims to health facilities while also tracing and assessing the biting animals, improving rapid response and prevention.
4. Improving access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP): Research and advocacy to ensure people exposed to rabies receive timely and affordable treatment, including promotion of the cost-effective intradermal vaccination method.
5. Rabies vaccine research (RAB003 trial): Ongoing clinical trials at the Bagamoyo Clinical Trial Unit to test the safety and effectiveness of new rabies vaccine candidates in adults and children.
6. One Health approach: Close collaboration between human health and animal health sectors, recognising that almost all human rabies cases originate from infected dogs.