About skin-related neglected tropical diseases
Our focus
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of diseases endemic in 149 countries and estimated to affect over 1 billion people worldwide, many of them children. NTDs predominantly affect impoverished people who live in rural and hard-to-reach areas where access to safe water, sanitation, and essential medicines is lacking.
Skin NTDs are a subgroup of NTDs that can present with manifestation on the skin. They include diseases like Buruli ulcer, cutaneous and post-kala azar dermal leishmaniasis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, mycetoma, yaws, chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses, and scabies and other ectoparasites. Skin NTDs are often associated with lifelong disabilities, stigma and mental health problems.
The burden of skin NTDs in Sub-Saharan Africa
A major healthcare issue
In Sub-Saharan African, skin NTDs affect millions, causing chronic health problems – here’s why:
The context
The consequences
Skin NTDs aggravate health inequalities and heavily impact marginalised communities
Patients have to contend with stigma, isolation and discrimination in their daily life
Skin NTDs contribute widely to higher morbidity and disability rates
Channeling the Power of AI Against Skin NTDs
A unique opportunity to improve detection and prognosis
Our mission is to address these challenges head-on by putting AI-powered tools directly in the hands of frontline health workers—those closest to the patient. SkincAIr will develop novel AI models for detection and prediction, enabling early diagnosis, fostering regional NTD advocacy, and strengthening real-time epidemiological surveillance.
By bridging the gap between underserved populations and access to timely, accurate diagnosis and surveillance, SkincAIr will lay the foundation for more equitable, effective, and sustainable care for skin NTDs.
Our value proposition
An AI-driven app
for early detection of skin NTDs
The largest public skin NTD dataset
(and the first in Sub-Saharan Africa)
The ultimate goal
Increase Health Security in Sub-Saharan Africa
Improve training and knowledge-transfer to front-line workers
Reduce the socio-economic burden of skin NTDs in Sub-Saharan Africa
Who we are
powerful cross-continental alliance
SkincAIR is an EU-cofunded initiative that connects key players from research and academia and the healthcare sector to shape a strong European-African partnership and advocate for action to address skin NTDs.
12
partners
10
countries
5
years