Today, former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson, who also serves as an Ambassador for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, submitted a letter to Congress asking for the full funding for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The letter, addressed to Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs and Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX), called on Congress to support the president’s full request of $155 million for the treatment of the seven most common NTDs. Thompson noted that after seeing the debilitating effects these diseases have, especially on children whom are “constantly sick….cannot regularly attend school… [and whose] future earning potential can be curtailed by up to 40 percent” as a result of these diseases action must be taken. His request is one that the Global Network, and the entire NTD community, hopes will be granted. The Global Network’s Policy Director, Michelle Brooks stated, “that progress made toward the prevention, control, and elimination of the seven most common NTDs is undeniable, but we are far from our goal of eliminating the world’s seven most common NTDs and need the sustained support and commitment of the United States Government in our global health efforts.” Since 2007, under USAID’s NTD control program over 55 million people in 14 countries have received 221 million NTD treatments. The NTD Initiative is part of President Obama’s Global Health Initiative (GHI) unveiled in May 2009 as a comprehensive whole-of-government approach to meeting global health needs. A leading target of GHI is to reduce the prevalence of NTDs throughout the world by clamping down on the seven most common NTDs.

The Global Network would like to thank Governor Thompson, Congresswoman Lowey, and Congresswoman Granger for their unwavering dedication to global public health and the fight against NTDs. Now everyone will watch and see how Congress in this current budget climate will balance the myriad of competing foreign aid issues—particularly those in global health.

To read Governor Thompson’s letter in its entirety, please visit the Global Network’s website.