In November 2013, the NTD modelling community came together in Washington DC before the 62nd annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The main purpose of the meeting was to launch a neglected tropical disease (NTD) modelling consortium, which will bring together people who already practice mathematical modelling of NTDs as well as those who would be interested in contributing to future modelling efforts to inform policy on NTD control.
Prior to the meeting, the Consortium surveyed the community to make sure that it includes as many people as possible. The meeting in Washington DC presented an opportunity to address key questions, including:
- How can we ensure strong collaboration with donors, policy makers and other consortia, especially those collecting field data, like the NTD Support Center?
- How can modelling help address the most urgent question for NTD policy: Are we on target for the 2020 goals? What can be done with current tools?
This meeting also took advantage of having so many NTD modellers in one place and will include a discussion of existing models in a number of NTDs, the insights these have provided, and their impact on current public health policy.
The agenda and speakers included:
|
|
|
|
Part 1: What are modellers already doing to inform NTD control programmes? |
Speakers: Prof Sir Roy Anderson, Imperial College London Dr Deirdre Hollingsworth, University of Warwick and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) Professor Charles King, Case Western Reserve University Dr Travis Porco, University of California Dr Wilma Stolk, Erasmus MC Professor Tom Smith, Swiss TPH Dr Brajendra Singh, University of Notre Dame Professor Maria-Gloria Basanez, Imperial College London Dr Sake de Vlas, Erasmus MC Dr Antonio Montressor, World Health Organization Dr Bruce Lee, John Hopkins University Dr Alison Galvani, Yale University Dr Hugo Turner, Imperial College London |
|
Targeting and frequency of Mass Drug Administrations |
|
|
Modelling other interventions |
|
|
The value of using different modelling approaches |
|
|
Economic Modelling |
|
|
Part 2: Aims and future of the modelling consortium |
|
|
Wednesday 13 November, Marriott Hotel |
|
|
Part 3: What would the NTD community like from a modelling consortium? |
Dr Pat Lammie, COR-NTD Dr Don Bundy, World Bank Dr Deirdre Hollingsworth, University of Warwick & LSTM Prof Sir Roy Anderson, Imperial College London |
|
Part 4: What are models useful for? How can they help address the 2020 goals? |
|
|
Part 5: Ways Forward |
|
We wish to thank and acknowledge the support of Dr. Don Bundy and the World Bank, Dr. Julie Jacobson and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Prof. Simon Brooker of The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, The Centre for Applied Health Research & Delivery (CAHRD) coordinated by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and the University of Warwick.