Meet the Woman Whose Study of Insects Helps Prevent NTDs

Beninois entomologist Pelagie Boko-Collins believes that preventative action should always be the first course of approach. She places proactive measures at the highest priority, emphasising that prevention is better than cure. Boko-Collins is dedicating her career to entomology, the study of insects, with a special focus on disease vectors. During her first eight years working at a research centre, her main area of focus was on malaria vector control. She observed that many neglected tropical diseases transmitted by vector-borne transmission were not being adequately addressed. She was determined to make a difference and work to prevent the spread of these illnesses. This led her to conduct further research on these NTDs in order to inform vector control strategies for their prevention.

Neglected tropical diseases, also known as NTDs, are a set of 20 illnesses or disease groups that are mainly found in tropical and subtropical regions. They are caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins.

"Most people think about treatment, but because I'm an entomologist, I think about prevention," she said.