WHO Urges Affected Countries to Invest More to Tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases

Neglected tropical diseases affect more than 1.5 billion people worldwide, causing blindness, disfigurement, permanent disability and death, particularly among the poor. They bear huge health, social and economic impact perpetuating the cycle of poverty for families. WHO's new report on NTDs "Investing to Overcome the Impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases" urges governments of affected countries to invest more on tackling these diseases. The report was launched simultaneously in Addis Ababa and London on 19 February 2015. 

Ethiopia was hailed as a leader in taking a comprehensive and integrated approach to tackling NTDs at the report launch events in Addis Ababa and London on 19 February 2015. Dr Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health of Ethiopia, highlighted how the country's NTD master plan is guiding the response. “In order to achieve rapid success and scaling-up of control activities, we have ensured that interventions are an integral part of the existing health system through our robust health extension programme,” the State Minister said.

The commitment and momentum to beat NTDs once and for all was evident in all the remarks delivered at the events in Addis Ababa and London. “There is now an opportunity for African governments, key players in health in Africa, to supplement these [donor] commitments, by nurturing an enabling environment to speedily upscale and sustain the global effort to control NTDs by giving priority to NTDs in their policy and to increase national budgets for the implementation of programmes to fight against NTDs," said Dr Marie-Goretti Harakeye Ndayisaba, Head of Social Affairs Division at the African Union Commission.

The new WHO report stresses that countries must make firm and sustainable budgetary commitments if they are to meet WHO targets and accelerate progress. Ethiopia, as one of the high burden countries for NTDs, is improving domestic investment for NTDs. As per the multi-year national master plan, eight NTDs have been identified as priority diseases: trachoma, onchocerciasis (river blindness), lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, soil transmitted helminthes, leishmaniasis, dracunculiasis (guinea worm disease) and podoconiosis. There have been tremendous efforts to control, eliminate or eradicate these diseases. The global trachoma mapping project (GTMP) and rapid integrated mapping of various NTDs shows that scale-up of NTD intervention is possible in Ethiopia. With only three guinea worm cases reported in 2014 from Gambella - which is the only endemic region in Ethiopia -, Ethiopia is also stepping up efforts to eradicate this disease with continued determination.

The event in Addis Ababa was participated by representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, African Union, partner organizations – including Spanish Development Cooperation, Italian Cooperation, Lions Club International, International Trachoma Initiative, USAID, The Carter Center, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, MSF Holland, Light for the World, Fred Hollows Foundation, Consortium of Christian Relief and Development Associations, Kala Cor, – WHO and other UN sister agencies, as well as members of the media.

Read the full WHO report here: http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/9789241564861/en/

For more information, please contact: Dr Abate Mulugeta, Neglected Tropical Diseases, WHO Ethiopia; Email: abatem [at] who.int