Prof. Wendemagegn Enbiale Yeshaneh
Ethiopia

NaPAN aims to provide medical care to Ethiopians with skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) – in particular, podoconiosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Podoconiosis, which affects 1.5 million Ethiopians, is non-infectious leg swelling caused by long-term exposure of bare feet to irritant soils. Leishmaniosis is a parasitic disease that impacts skin and internal organs.

NaPAN raises community awareness, trains health professionals and provides disease management and disability prevention (MMDP) within the affected communities, resulting in more than 300,000 patients having accessed MMDP services.

The grant will be used to expand access to treatment for podoconiosis patients with massive nodules by training healthcare professionals in highly endemic areas, and exploring the feasibility of decentralizing cryotherapy treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis.