On the last World Chagas Disease Day, celebrated on April 14th, members of both institutions signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" at the headquarters of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), in Rio de Janeiro. The event was considered as a milestone for the country and defined as a "happy" day, for it establishes the foundations for a better care for the 1 million people affected by the disease in Brazil according to the estimations published in the the 2021 Chagas Epidemiological Bulletin of the Ministry of Health.
Nifurtimox is produced by the German multinational Bayer, and is indicated for the treatment of Chagas by the World Health Organization according to the Clinical Protocol and Therapeutic Guidelines for Chagas Disease, of 2018. It is recommended for the treatment of Trypanosoma Cruzi infection in the acute stage, as well as for chronic cases in children and adolescents. This agreement aims to speed up the supply of this drug to the country, which would make the attention more effective, "sooner and closely" as the patients claim for this 2023. Also, it would ease the completion of the treatment since Nifurtimox is recommended in situations where the other drug being used nowadays, Benznidazole, presents tolerance difficulties in patients.
This partnership meets one of the Uited Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on and combating neglected tropical diseases.
Read the full content on the Fiocruz website.
