Global Atlas of Podoconiosis (360G-Wellcome-201900_Z_16_Z)

In 2011, podoconiosis was identified as one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases by the World Health Organization. Many questions remain, however, about the geographical distribution and burden of podoconiosis globally. These include; what is the global distribution of podoconiosis, what global burden does it impose, are factors associated with podoconiosis universal or country specific, and what is the cost of podoconiosis control and elimination? This fellowship will enable these questions to be answered. The proposed work will build upon a nationwide mapping technique which was applied in Ethiopia. First, I will test the universality of factors associated with podoconiosis by conducting a nationwide survey in Cameroon. Second, I will investigate the spatial distribution of podoconiosis globally by conducting surveys and applying geostatistical and boosted regression modeling. Third, I will quantify the population at risk globally and the number of people affected, using a Bayesian meta-regression method, DisMod-MR, employed by the Global Disease Burden studies, to estimate the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to podoconiosis. Fourth, using a micro-costing approach that allows adjustment for time-variant resource utilization and for heterogeneity, I will estimate the cost of control and elimination. Findings will directly inform the global control and elimination of podoconiosis.