Mothers around the world face many challenges as they do their best to raise healthy, smart children and protect them from harm.

For some mothers, NTDs add to their challenges. In many countries, one common parasite found in the dirt threatens nearly 700 million people, including 44 million pregnant mothers. We’ve got a new, light-hearted video that sheds light on this issue and the great solutions that are already available to help moms and kids around the world.

It takes years of care, love and labor to raise a child.  And for only 50 cents a year per person, we can provide at least one way to ensure healthier pregnancies for millions of moms and a better start in life for millions of kids.

Please share the video to help raise awareness and inspire action so that mothers can give their children the best gift of all – health.

The Global Network team was flying high on its return flight from Ethiopia last week after the Sixth Conference of African Union Ministers of Health (CAMH6) concluded with a strong call for African countries and development partners to increase support for NTD control and elimination programs.  We expect this announcement will translate into increased support for NTD investments in Africa. The Global Network team worked tirelessly over the past months establishing a strong relationship with the AU and African Ministers of Health, encouraging them to prioritize the issue of NTDs.  Once again, advocacy works!

The hard work didn’t stop at the conference’s opening remarks though – the Global Network co-hosted a breakfast with the African Union Commission (AUC) on the sidelines of CAMH6, where participants highlighted solutions to hookworm, snail fever, elephantitis, and other NTDs in Africa. The discussion, which was expertly moderated by AUC Director of Social Affairs Dr. Olawale Maiyegun, brought together over 160 representatives from health ministries and other partners to showcase the feasibility of eliminating NTDs as a public health threat in Africa by 2020.

The breakfast speakers included His Excellency Dr. Mustapha Kaloko, AUC Commissioner for Social Affairs; the Honorable Dr. Sabine Ntakarutimana, Minister of Health for the Republic of Burundi; Dr. Luis Gomes Sambo, regional director of the WHO Regional Office for Africa; and Ambassador Michael Marine, CEO of the Sabin Vaccine Institute.

A strong call by the AU in favor of country-led NTD programs in Africa is just the type of support needed if we are going to reach the 2020 NTD goals established by WHO in the London Declaration. We are thrilled by the positive outcomes that came out of Ethiopia last week, which confirm the commitment of African leaders to make real improvements to health and development in the region.  The Global Network is looking forward to more positive results from Africa in the near future, especially at the annual AU Summit taking place later this month. Stay posted.

From left: Dr. Katherine Bliss, Dr. Neeraj Mistry, President Alvaro Arzú, Carl Meacham, Dr. Mirta Roses

On Tuesday, the Global Network and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) hosted a panel to welcome three new Neglected Tropical Disease Special Envoys. His Excellency, President Alvaro Arzú Irigoyen of Guatemala (1996-2000), His Excellency, President Ricardo Lagos Escobar of Chile (2000-2006) and former Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Dr. Mirta Roses Periago have joined the effort to eliminate NTDs in the Americas and in other regions of the world where these diseases cause suffering and promote the cycle of poverty.

Check out the press release to read how the new Special Envoys will use their political voice and the technical expertise to reach regional and global elimination targets.

Tuesday’s event was well attended, and a lively discussion was had amongst panelists and with the audience. President Arzú and Dr. Roses participated, along with Carl Meacham, director of the CSIS Americas Program, and Dr. Neeraj Mistry, managing director of the Global Network.  The discussion was led by Dr. Katherine Bliss, senior associate with CSIS Global Health Policy Center. You can watch the full discussion below and at the event page here.

The conversation was extended to a broad audience using social media. The Global Network and others live tweeted from the event, sharing a few gems from the panelists. Here are a few excerpts from the Twitter conversation:

The new Special Envoys join the efforts of current NTD Special Envoy, His Excellency, President John A. Kufuor of the Republic of Ghana (2001-2009). Check out this recent blog post to read about how President Kufuor is paving the way for increased NTD bilateral engagement and advocacy.

By Dr. Gregory Simon

Schistosomiasis, or snail fever, affects over 243 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. It is the second most deadly parasitic disease after malaria, and in recent years, there has been increasing scientific evidence linking schistosomiasis (more specifically female genital schistosomiasis, or FGS) infections to an increased relative risk of HIV in women. Several studies conducted in Tanzania and Zimbabwe demonstrated that girls and women with FGS had three to four times greater relative risk of contracting HIV.

With this mounting scientific knowledge, many organizations (including the Global Network) advocate for the reduction of HIV transmission in girls and women through schistosomiasis control. Treatment programs for schistosomiasis can be easily integrated with HIV prevention services at only a small increase in the operational cost. Since the drugs are often donated, the costs are reduced even greater.

Many organizations in the HIV community are beginning to recognize the importance of the link between schistosomiasis and HIV. However, given the current economic climate, many organizations are hesitant to take on more components to their service package without further evidence that such a service would be not only effective in reducing the risks associated with HIV/AIDS infection, but also cost effective. A new study by Ndeffo Mbah. ML et. al. recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has analyzed the cost effectives of schistosomiasis control effects in conjunction with water, sanitation, and health education programs (WASH); and the economic impacts on HIV programs.

They found that community-based interventions to prevent and treat schistosomiasis, linked to provision of WASH, are a cost-effective way to reduce both schistosomiasis and HIV. Because these interventions also have multiple secondary beneficial effects, such as prevention of diarrheal disease that is a main cause of infant mortality, the implications of these interventions go far beyond the HIV community.

Maternal and child health (MCH) advocates also have a role to play. Control of schistosomiasis and other NTDs offers another aspect of their programs that they can use to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Efforts to reduce the burden of schistosomiasis are currently underway, and the WHO recommends preventive chemotherapy as a global strategy for its control and possible elimination as a public health threat. It will take a coordinated effort by all parties, not just the NTD community, but also the HIV, MCH and WASH communities to reduce the burden of disease on the affected populations to achieve the MDGs.