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31.01.2012 Health

Bill and Melinda Gates to combat NTDs by 2020

By GNA
Bill and Melinda Gates to combat NTDs by 2020
31.01.2012 LISTEN

Accra, Jan. 31, GNA - The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in collaboration with 13 other pharmaceutical companies on Monday announced a new coordinated to accelerate progress toward eliminating 10 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) by the end of the decade.

The collaboration also have the US, UK, United Arab Emirates, governments, the World Bank and other global health organisations on board.

Uniting efforts with NTD endemic countries, the partners pledged to bring a unique focus to defeating these diseases and to work together to improve the lives of the 1.4 billion people worldwide affected by NTDs, most of whom are among the world's poorest.

Speaking at a programme in London to announce the commitment, Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda said: “Today, we have joined together to increase the impact of our Gates Foundation, increase investments and build on the tremendous progress made to date.”

He called for innovative approach to serve as a model for solving other global development challenges, which would also help millions of people, build self-sufficiency and overcome the need for aid.

The Gates Foundation announced a five-year, 363 million dollars commitment to support NTD product and operational research.

The partners also endorsed the “London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases,” and pledged new levels of collaborative effort and tracking of progress.

To guide the effort against NTDs, the WHO unveiled a new strategy, “Accelerating work to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases—A roadmap for implementation”, which set targets for what can be achieved by the end of the decade.

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO explained that the efforts of the organisation, researchers, partners, and the contributions of industry have changed the face of NTDs and ancient diseases are now being brought to their knees with stunning speed.

“With the boost to this momentum being made today, I am confident almost all of these diseases can be eliminated or controlled by the end of this decade,” She added.

New commitments from partners will close the funding gap to eradicate the Guinea worm disease and expedite progress toward the 2020 goals of elimination of lymphatic filariasis, and achieve the goal of uniting to combat neglected tropical diseases, achieving the Neglect & Reaching 2020 Goals.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of the 13 pharmaceutical companies involved, Sir Andrew Witty, CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, said: “Many companies and organisations have worked for decades to fight these horrific diseases, but no one company or organisation can do it alone.

“Today, we pledge to work hand-in-hand to revolutionise the way we fight these diseases now and in the future,” he added.

With new and existing pledges totalled, the companies will donate an average of 1.4 billion treatments each year to those in need, whilst new Research and Development (R&D) collaborative efforts and access agreements with 11 companies and the R&D organisation, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) will provide unprecedented access to compound libraries that could lead to new treatments.

To close the funding gap for Guinea worm eradication, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the Gates Foundation, and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation will donate 40 million dollars to The Carter Centre.

The US Agency for International Development also announced an 89 million pounds appropriation by the US Congress to strengthen drug delivery and distribution programmes, building on its 212 million dollars investment since 2006.

In addition, the World Bank will extend its financing and technical support to help African countries build stronger community health systems that will integrate NTD elimination and control, as well as work with other partners to expand a trust fund to combat river blindness to other preventable NTDs in Africa.

"The world has come together to end the neglect of these horrific diseases which needlessly disable, blind and kill millions of the world's poorest,” said Stephen O'Brien, U.K. Minister for International Development.

"Britain and other partners are leading the way to provide critical treatments to millions of people, which allow children to attend school and parents to provide for their families so that they can help themselves out of poverty and eventually no longer rely on aid."

GNA

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