American Leprosy Missions Announces First Winner for NTD Innovation Prize
(Greenville, S.C., September 19, 2019) — American Leprosy Missions awarded a $25,000 cash prize to fund solutions for neglected tropical diseases, the first award of its kind focused on innovation in the NTDs space.
The NTD Innovation Prize initial award was announced at the Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) Conference in Liverpool, U.K. The Prize was awarded to Dr. Tito Trésor Melachio and Mr. Joseph Pryce for their project, “Exploring the viability of excreta sampling for monitoring Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT).” This project will develop new tools for tracking the spread of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or “sleeping sickness,” as that disease approaches eradication.
Dr. Melachio is a medical entomologist based at the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Mr. Pryce is from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including leprosy and HAT, affect more than one billion of the world’s most vulnerable people. These diseases can lead to increased poverty, stigma and isolation, malnutrition, and lifelong disabilities.
The annual NTD Innovation Prize, a project of American Leprosy Missions, identifies and supports innovators with creative ideas to solve some of the most challenging issues posed by NTDs across the globe. The competition and award process are designed to encourage and support creativity and ingenuity, funding new ideas that can result in cost-effective, scalable and transformative impact for people affected by NTDs.
About American Leprosy Missions
American Leprosy Missions, based in Greenville, South Carolina, is the oldest and largest Christian organization in the United States dedicated to curing and caring for people affected by leprosy and related diseases. It currently supports projects, programs and partners in countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas. Since its founding in 1906, American Leprosy Missions has provided holistic care to more than four million people around the world including medical treatment and training, disease mapping and management, community development and research.
For Additional Information
Sarah Hesshaus, Vice President of Business Process and Communications
864.241.1731 | shesshaus@leprosy.org
Hope Starts With Healing
Right now, men, women, and children are suffering—isolated by disease, alone in their pain, and without hope. But together, we can change that.
From delivering critical medicines and supplies to equipping pastors with training and resources to care for their communities, we are reaching even the most marginalized people with the healing and hope they most desperately need. With your support today, Hope Rises!
