The 2011 World Health Summit wrapped up last month in Berlin, Germany. The Global Network was in attendance represented by Managing Director Dr. Neeraj Mistry, who discusses on the ONE Campaign Germany blog the importance of integrating efforts to address NTDs with those that address the “Big Three” – HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Find the English version of the blogpost below:
By: Dr. Neeraj Mistry, Managing Director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases
The 2011 World Health Summit brought together over 1,500 global health experts from over 75 countries to raise awareness of key issues in global health during October 23-26. One such issue that the global health community must address is neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Over the last month, I’ve talked with you here on the ONE Deutschland Blog about the global impact of NTDs. We desperately need to draw attention to these diseases, to raise public awareness, and eventually eliminate NTDs. At the World Health Summit, the Global Network hosted a symposium where we discussed the link between NTD control with control of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Today I’d like to extend that discussion to you.
NTD treatment improves not only the health, but also the economic development and education of individuals and entire communities. Addressing NTDs will be essential to meeting the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), meant to help lift the world’s poorest countries out of extreme poverty by the year 2015. In light of that, the United States, the United Kingdom and other G8 member countries have made commitments to NTD programs that have resulted in enormous gains in the treatment and prevention of these diseases. » Read more: Impacting NTDs and the “Big Three”
