Never Treated Populations: Perspectives from Southeast Asia

Session speakers: Our guest speakers will delve into supporting the Lymphatic Filariasis mass drug administration, with a focus on identifying hard-to-reach populations and finding effective ways to integrate them into the service system. Additionally, we will feature highlights from selected individuals who were part of the Never Treatment group, sharing their experiences and insights.

Rajshree Das is a passionate and committed professional who has a firm belief in the potential of communities and women’s advancement. She has over two decades of experience in managing large health programs. She has successfully rolled out programs in maternal and child health, neglected tropical diseases, and women and adolescent empowerment and livelihoods.

Ms. Das is associated with PCI India as Senior Director and lead the NTD portfolio. She leads the project Social Mobilization for LF and VL in India supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has designed and cocreated sustainable solutions engaging communities in innovative ways. She has extensive experience working with the Government in India at the state and national level. She is a mentor by nature and enjoys working closely with her team to develop their skills and talents. Ms. Das has an extensive background in health and human services. She completed her postgraduate in Social Work and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in India.

Nirmala Sharma, Nepali national, has over 30 years of experience in leading various health & other development programs that included Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs), Maternal Newborn & Child health, Sexual Reproductive Health including HIV and AIDS, Water & Sanitation, Community/Women empowerment in various national & international non-governmental and bi-lateral organizations.

Since 2015, she is serving as the Country Coordinator in FAIRMED Nepal program, leading the overall planning and execution of the FAIRMED Country program currently operating in 9 districts of 4 Provinces through 5 projects on NTDs, and Maternal health. One of her major strengths is community-based actions, collaboration with government at various levels, & stakeholders, and institutionalizing the proven approaches and achievements. In FAIRMED, she has been leading the designing, and implementation of NTDs program for Nepal’s various districts with diverse communities. Her working approach focuses on close coordination with MoHP, EDCD specifically the NTDs/LF, Leprosy sections of EDCD. While working in LF MDA in FAIRMED working districts for three consecutive years, she has led her team in strategizing the actions in identifying who are excluded from the campaign, reaching out to the unreached, and never treated population by formulating local level strategies and approaches which have been very helpful to meet the coverage and make significant progress on MDA.

Academically, she holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health, from Royal Institute of Tropical Health (KIT), The Netherlands, a Diploma in Community Health Management, from Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore, India, and a Bachelor’s in Business Management, from Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

Event Venue

Online