Archive for the ‘london declaration’ category

Neglected Tropical Diseases Take Center Stage in London

January 31st, 2013


By Mawish Raza

In light of the one year anniversary of The London Declaration, a series of events took place in London this week that that continued to highlight the important role neglected tropical disease (NTD) control and elimination plays on the global health and development agenda.

Dr. Neeraj Mistry, managing director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, addressed The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (APPMG) on Tuesday. Dr. Mistry discussed the progress since the initial launch of the London Declaration and emphasized the role of integrated treatment approaches in order to help meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target to control and eliminate the most common NTDs by 2020.

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine also announced a new partnership with the Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum to launch the London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research this week. The center will provide researchers with tools to raise further awareness and solutions to investigating NTD control, mapping and diagnosis. » Read more: Neglected Tropical Diseases Take Center Stage in London

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Posted in london declaration

Forms of Social Justice

January 31st, 2013


By Mawish Raza, Communications Intern for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases

I have always been keen to recognizing different social justice movements. However, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are new to me. As someone who has recently joined the Global Network to advocate action against NTDs, what has struck me most is the lack of awareness and priority placed on preventing and ending the spread of these diseases.

Governments in developing nations invest a great deal of time and effort to encourage and stabilize their economies in order to increase profits. Yet halting the dispersion of NTDs is also a key component in optimizing production in industries such as agriculture and fishing. Individuals that are impacted by NTDs often live in poverty and don’t have the capacity to fight the diseases they are faced with. NTDs influence the lifestyle and attitude of not only individuals that are affected, but of their larger community – from their own family to their neighbors. Each day that a person isn’t able to go to work or make it to school is one less day that could have provided a step to profitable and personal enrichment. The impact of NTDs isn’t an issue that works in isolation; it impacts the larger community. These diseases create deeper roots for poverty to sustain in these poorly assisted communities – a poverty that not only impacts the social structure of a community, but one that digs deep into the health and mind.

The fact of the matter is that in order to bring an end to the spread of NTDs, the global community needs to address its existence.  Recognizing these diseases draws light to the fundamental influences that handicap individuals, which further impact the nation’s economy, literacy rate and development. » Read more: Forms of Social Justice

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Posted in london declaration, social welfare, socio-economics

The London Declaration: One Year Later

January 16th, 2013

 

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the London Declaration—an unprecedented  pledge by a group of public and private partners to control or eliminate 10 NTDs by 2020. This includes an uptick in drug donations, research and development and bilateral support for NTD programs around the world.

Several reports and updates have been released today to showcase the progress since 2012 as well as the goals and challenges for 2013 and beyond.

From Promises to Progress: The First Annual Report on the London Declaration on NTDs,”  issued by Uniting to Combat NTDs, documents key accomplishment in  2012 and targets moving into 2013. This group also issued a London Declaration Scorecard, which was developed to hold partners accountable for their commitments, improve transparency and make visible areas where additional collaboration is possible or where gaps remain.

Caroline Harper, Chair of the UK Coalition against NTDs, and Chief Executive of Sightsavers, says: “Many of the steps forward in the fight against NTDs over the past 12 months are the result of public and private partners working together.  One of the biggest achievements is the development of the London Declaration Scorecard as a new tool to unite all NTD partners.  It will drive collaborative working, outlining the responsibilities of the wide variety of partners involved.” » Read more: The London Declaration: One Year Later

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Posted in london declaration, NTDs, WHO

Keeping score: Will the new NTD Scorecard keep global action on track?

January 16th, 2013


By Simon Bush, Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases at Sightsavers. See his recent article in the Huffington Post here.

Today sees the publication of an NTD Scorecard which will bring further transformation to the way global partners, from endemic governments, and pharmaceutical companies to NGOs, are working together to achieve the elimination of this group of debilitating diseases.

Developed by the London Declaration partners and published alongside From Promises to Progress, a new report on NTDs, the Scorecard will help translate the aspirational vision of elimination of ten of the NTDs by 2020 into a reality.

When I first started working on NTDs 13 years ago, I never would have imagined progress like this. Elimination of NTDs such as blinding trachoma and river blindness (onchocerciasis) seemed such a distant goal. How things have changed!  We are now seeing promises turn into action which will make a colossal difference to the lives of over a billion people who are affected by NTDs.

The Scorecard sets out the strategic milestones that are crucial if we’re going to see real progress on these ten NTDs – in terms of raising funds, conducting research and development, and ultimately delivering the right number of treatments, to the right people, in the right communities. It’s all about achieving the scale-up needed. » Read more: Keeping score: Will the new NTD Scorecard keep global action on track?

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Posted in london declaration, NTDs, Onchocerciasis, River blindness, sitesavers, Trachoma, WHO