Implementing Taenia solium control programmes in countries: monitoring and evaluation framework

Overview

This document aims to provide best practice on monitoring and evaluation of Taenia solium, as part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) effort to develop M&E guidance across the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). T. solium has been included in WHO’s list of NTDs since 2010 and is featured in the NTD road map 2021–2030. T. solium control programmes are relatively new compared with other NTD programmes and, as a result, the information available is limited. This monitoring and evaluation framework is based on the best information and evidence available at this time, as well as on experience from other disease control programmes. It will be updated as learning evolves and new diagnostic tools become available.

Infection with the parasite T. solium causes two diseases in humans: taeniasis (infection with the adult parasite) and cysticercosis (infection with the larval stage of the parasite). Progress to control these diseases in endemic countries has been slow as resources are scarce, and adequate diagnostics, control tools and knowledge are lacking. Recently, however, new tools and guidance have become available, including the donation of taenicidal medicines (praziquantel and niclosamide), the publication of the Pan American Health Organization/WHO Guideline for preventive chemotherapy for the control of Taenia solium taeniasis and WHO Guidelines on management of Taenia solium neurocysticercosis, the commercial availability of the TSOL18 pig vaccine (and its inclusion in the terrestrial manual of the World Organisation for Animal Health) and the use of the vaccine in conjunction with oxfendazole in pigs, as well as results from an increasing number of field studies evaluating control interventions.

This document responds to the request of several countries that are ready to begin implementing T. solium control programmes in order to provide guidance on diagnostic tools for use in public health programmes, on opportunities for integration and on monitoring and evaluation. The methods used to develop this monitoring and evaluation framework.

Objectives of this document

The main objective of this document is to provide practical operational best practice on monitoring and evaluation to countries implementing T. solium public health control programmes in order to reduce the disease burden caused by the parasite. It is based on existing diagnostic methods.

The specific objectives are:

• to suggest indicators to monitor progress globally and nationally; and
• to provide details on surveys for confirming endemicity (mapping) or for monitoring and evaluation of a T. solium public health programme.