An Ongoing Project

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Scorecard Project

Funding Agency

Philippine Council for Health Research Development

Partners/Collaborators

Department of Health - Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DCPB)

Kind of Service

Research and Data Collection

Project Description

Pilot-testing of a Scorecard Designed to Assess the Performance of LGUs in the Elimination of NTDs in the Philippines

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) refer to a diverse group of communicable diseases which occur under tropical and subtropical conditions and are “intimately linked to poverty”. Of the 17 NTDs identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), six are currently endemic in the Philippines, namely: lymphatic filariasis;  schistosomiasis;  soil-transmitted helminthiases;  food-borne trematodiases;  rabies; and  leprosy.

The LGU NTD Scorecard was developed to measure LGU performance in five areas, namely: (1) program support, (2) logistics, (3) surveillance, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and program planning, (4) advocacy and partnerships, and (5) research and innovation. The results of the performance assessment are envisioned to guide LGUs in decision-making related to retaining, improving, or changing strategies to improve or sustain current levels of performance, while the national government can use the results of the scorecard to guide the national NTD programs in developing and/or updating policies, as well as providing technical and financial assistance to LGUs as needed.

Under this project, FETPAFI pilot-tested the LGU scorecard for NTDs to promote the adoption and use of the LGU scorecard for NTDs by determining the barriers and facilitators to its implementation in the Philippine health system. Specifically, the final output is to draft an Administrative Order (AO) based on the insights gained from the pilot-testing.

FETPAFI started implementation in October 2019 covering the  provinces of Cagayan and Tarlac in Luzon, Bohol and Capiz in the Visayas and Bukidnon and South Cotabato in Mindanao as pilot sites.