Welcome to Our Website
Welcome to National Podoconiosis Action Network’s (NaPAN) official website. We are a consortium of partners working in Ethiopia to see Ethiopia free of podoconiosis and other skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) like lymhatic filariaisis, scabies, leprosy, cutaneious leishmaniasis. Podoconiosis or podo in short is a form of elephantiasis or swelling of the lower leg triggered by prolonged barefoot exposure to irritant minerals in red clay soils. Unlike other form of elephantiasis, there is NO infectious cause of podoconiosis (no virus, bacterium or parasite).The disease causes massive swelling and disabling skin changes in the lower legs.
Scabies is a skin infestation with the mite sarcoptes scabies, and is often intensely itchy and distressing. Transmission generally occurs by protracted skin-to-skin contact with infested individuals.
both are neglected tropical disease which leads to severe disability, stigma, and socioeconomic impact. Podoconiosis affects more than one million in Ethiopia and more than 35 million people are at risk of the disease.
Scabies occurs worldwide. Over 200 million people worldwide are affected at any one time. Scabies is endemic in many resource-poor tropical countries, with an estimated average prevalence of 5 – 10% in children. In an outbreak areas in the Amhara region in 2015, the prevalence of scabies was 33.5%. Data on scabies cases and contacts collected from all zones by district on June 2018 showed 718,597 Cases and 956,017 Contacts. SNNPR reports 68,000 scabies cases weekly.
NaPAN seeks to engage in different partnerships and collaborative projects to put an end the neglect of these highly stigmatizing skin diseases. Please join the fight and help us to see Ethiopia free of skin NTDs.
Podo can easily be prevented by wearing shoes and keeping regular foot hygiene. It is also treatable through inexpensive foot hygiene, skin care, bandaging and other simple treatment. While scabies is usually transmitted person-to-person through close skin contact (e.g. living in the same residence) with an infested individual. Scabies mites crawl but cannot jump or fly and the condition is not transmitted from animals or due to poor hygiene
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to visit our website and work with us. You can easily navigate through different pages and get more information about NaPAN and podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis, and scabies prevention and treatment and other important information and resources. You can also contact us by filling your inquiry on our contact page. We believe you like our dynamic website and its fast navigation features. You can also like us on face book and follow us on twitter.
