The release of the Bill and Melinda Gates Annual Letter includes a call to action for the international development community to prioritise neglected tropical diseases and commit to ending four diseases – guinea worm, elephantiasis, river blindness and blinding trachoma - by 2030.
As Bill and Melinda Gates have emphasised, we’re at a pivotal moment in the fight to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)- which affect over one billion people living in poverty.
Investment in NTDs is a smart bet- they’re known to be one of the ‘best buys’ in global health. The NTD community knows what works to combat these diseases and has a clear and ambitious plan to end the misery and ill health caused by these diseases.
The UK is a world leader in its commitment to the global effort to rid the world of neglected tropical diseases. UK investments by the Department for International have supported world’s largest disease mapping project for trachoma, and support efforts to make guinea worm only the second human disease in history to be fully eradicated.
"We call on all UK parties to make NTDs a development priority for the next UK government." |
2015 is a pivotal year for NTDs. As we approach the UK general election we call on all UK parties to make NTDs a development priority for the next UK government. The investment made in combatting these diseases to date is paying off and we’re making huge strides. It’s crucial now that we protect these successes and continue to build on them. |
