ChagasChat as a tool for disseminating efforts against neglected diseases from the Chagas community

ChagasChat is a project by the Chagas Global Coalition started after the 2023 World Chagas Disease Day, in order to bring together and share the latest work of our partners and other stakeholders involved in the control of Chagas disease and other neglected diseases in a series of short interviews.

We interviewed Laura Bohorquez, Head of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Program in Latin America at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND). Bohorquez works in the development and implementation of strategic plans that promote innovation and greater accessibility to diagnostic tests within a framework of sustainable and resilient health systems. This ChagasChat offers a glimpse into her work and the report published in September 2024 by FIND, also with DNDi, on new diagnostic methods for Chagas disease.

Bohorquez points to the complexity of current diagnostic tests (infrastructure, resources, timeframes and personnel required) and how FIND’s commitment is to achieve the simplification of this diagnosis, based on three principles guided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO): optimizing or adapting diagnostic tests for implementation at any point of care and thus avoiding access problems, iedntify the ideal characteristics of molecular diagnostic products for early detection of infection, and establishing cost-effectiveness and economic impact evaluation models.

“It is necessary to approach it in a comprehensive way, including the implications for the health system and the patients, the savings made when multiple visits to highly complex centers are not necessary.”

This report is due to help researchers, developers and users of rapid diagnostic tests to generate their studies. A specific section has been created within the PAHO protocol for the evaluation of rapid tests, which researchers will be able to use and adapt to their studies.

The next episode of ChagasChat will be with Dr. María Jesús Pinazo, Head of Chagas Disease program in DNDi. Soon on our website and social networks.