Yesterday, the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, in partnership with the Embassy of South Africa, hosted a panel called “Integrated Approaches to Health and Development through NTD Control.”

The panel discussion was a part of larger event hosted by the Embassy of South Africa, called “Thought Leadership for the African Health Agenda.”  The Embassy is hosting similar events to spur ideas throughout 2012, as a part of their “2012 Festival of Ideas.”

The Global Network’s Managing Director, Dr. Neeraj Mistry, moderated the panel and hopes the discussion will improve awareness of and support for solutions to NTDs, diseases that have often been “hidden in the shadows.”

The panelists, Dr. Peter Hotez, President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute; Dr. Jennifer Kates, Vice President and Director of HIV Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation; and Dr. Ok Pannenborg, Former Chief Health Advisor, World Bank Group, shared their perspectives on NTDs, including the health impacts and existing treatments, the U.S. government’s approach, and the role of health systems.

Sabin President Dr. Peter Hotez gave the audience an overview of the NTDs, highlighting the severe health impacts of hookworm and schistosomiasis.  Nearly everyone living below the poverty line in sub-Saharan Africa is infected with one or more NTDs. These NTDs can have severe repercussions for women, as those with female genital schistosomiasis have an increased risk of contracting HIV.

Dr. Kates discussed the U.S. government’s role in global health.  President Obama’s Global Health Initiative (GHI) was created as a new approach to integration of existing global health programs, particularly NTDs, HIV and malaria. She also noted that while funding has steadily increased for NTD treatment and control, it is still a smaller portion of the overall global health budget, and more is needed to adequately treat affected populations.  She shared some of the challenges to integration especially the divide between the theory and implementation of the concept.

The panel concluded after Dr. Pannenborg provided some insight on the role of health systems in delivering NTD treatment.  He said that the simplicity of the treatment regimen and the ability to leverage community-based health workers to deliver treatment makes NTD control “a health systems innovation…that can be shared worldwide.”