Innovative, Sustainable Funding Needed to Deal With NTDs
During the World Health Organization's 73rd Africa Regional Committee held in Botswana, AllAfrica's Nontobeko Mlambo spoke with Thoko Elphick-Pooley, Executive Director of Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases, on the progress made in eliminating NTDs in Africa.
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) affect over a billion people worldwide, with an estimated 40% living in 47 African countries. Despite affecting so many people, especially in underdeveloped countries, budgets for NTD-related programmes are often limited. These diseases, like Mycetoma and African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, are preventable and treatable, but if untreated they can debilitate, disfigure, and kill.
InFocus
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January 30 is World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day. Leading organisations and countries announced new commitments to help strengthen efforts to end neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). These commitments were made by endemic countries, donors, and private sector partners as a response to a global call for urgent investment to control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs by 2030.
The new commitments include funding and drug donations, as well as new endorsements of the Kigali Declaration signed
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Around 800 participants are attending the seventy-third session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa taking place in Gaborone, Botswana from 28 August to 1 September. The meeting will discuss and agree on key measures to address the region's health challenges, and advance and promote good health and well-being.
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Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of 20 conditions that are caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins. More than a billion people are affected by neglected tropical diseases globally. Africa accounts for nearly 40% (400 million people) of the global burden.
The diseases thrive in areas that lack quality and affordable health care services, where access to clean water and sanitation is also a big problem. These diseases
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(file photo).
