The Global Program on Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Call to Action

Introduction

Delegates and representatives who attended the meeting of partners of the Global Program on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) left the event with a powerful call to action from its director, Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall. As the multinational meeting, which was attended by some 300 key partners, concluded in Geneva on June 13, Dr. Fall emphasized the importance of challenging ourselves in order to evolve and improve.

Embracing the Message of Change

In his address, Dr. Fall urged participants to embrace the message that “if we don’t challenge ourselves, we cannot evolve or improve.” He emphasized the need for partners and stakeholders to actively seek out innovative solutions and approaches to combat neglected tropical diseases.

Ambitious Goals for a Better Future

The meeting focused on reviewing the progress made against the World Health Organization (WHO) roadmap for neglected tropical diseases covering the period from 2021 to 2030. It aimed to generate a better understanding of global NTD operations from both cross-cutting and disease-specific perspectives.

During the event, partners, donors, technical experts, and country representatives expressed their commitment to achieving an ambitious goal – a world free of neglected tropical diseases by 2030.

A Community Delivering a Global Program

The main theme of the meeting was centered around the vision of “A community delivering a global program against NTDs.” Participants took inspiration from the three key strategic changes advocated in the roadmap, namely greater national ownership, measuring impacts rather than processes, and a commitment to cross-cutting activities and collaboration for greater efficiency.

The discussions held during the meeting were pragmatic, clairvoyant, and focused on the need for equity and justice in healthcare to effectively address neglected tropical diseases.

Challenges and Solutions for Progress

The meeting highlighted the importance of adopting an approach that can bring about the necessary change in some of the world’s poorest communities to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The delegates and participants identified key gaps and challenges in achieving high-level goals while also acknowledging the local challenges on the ground.

One of the challenges discussed was the need to ensure that people directly affected by NTDs and those responsible for managing NTD interventions are actively involved, particularly in terms of communication and community engagement. Additionally, the meeting emphasized the importance of developing communities of practice to enhance capacity and confidence among global NTD workforce.

Implementation of Actions for Change

During subsequent discussions, the delegates agreed on principles and practical steps to implement actions towards the stated goals. They actively planned a Global Action Plan for the period from 2025 to 2030, which would serve as a blueprint for coordinated efforts.

Some of the key actions and decisions emerging from the meeting included the recommendations to strengthen and operationalize national coordination platforms, ensuring coordination for joint planning and monitoring and evaluation. The meeting also emphasized the need for more efficient supply chain management within national systems.

Promoting Neglected Tropical Diseases in Global Health

The partners’ meeting coincided with the end of a major functional review process within WHO’s Department of Neglected Tropical Disease Control. Throughout this review, WHO received contributions and testimonies from all its partners and stakeholders with the aim of embodying the values ​​of accountability, transparency, and equity.

The meeting participants acknowledged the importance of repositioning NTDs within the global health architecture. They recognized the role that the NTD community can and should play in contributing to broader challenges such as Universal Health Coverage, One Health, and the growing threat of global climate change.

An Exhibition for Awareness and Action

As part of the event, delegates who attended in person had the opportunity to visit an exhibition dedicated to neglected tropical diseases at WHO headquarters. The exhibition featured a set of metal panels illustrating the 20 conditions that make up the NTD group, accompanied by photographs and information showcasing the actions implemented over many decades to address them.

Conclusion

The meeting of partners of the Global Program on Neglected Tropical Diseases was a significant event that brought together key stakeholders and highlighted the importance of collective action to address neglected tropical diseases. The call to action by Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, the director of the program, resonated with the participants, inspiring them to actively contribute to achieving the goal of a world free of neglected tropical diseases by 2030.

The meeting served as a platform for identifying challenges and solutions, promoting collaboration, and reaffirming the commitment of partners towards a common cause. It emphasized the need for innovation, equity, and justice in tackling neglected tropical diseases. The discussions held during the meeting laid the foundation for a Global Action Plan, which will guide the efforts of stakeholders in the years to come.

Through exhibitions and presentations, the meeting also aimed to raise awareness and educate participants about neglected tropical diseases and the actions taken to combat them. It highlighted the importance of repositioning NTDs within the global health agenda and recognized the role that the NTD community can play in addressing broader challenges for the benefit of global health.

In summary, the meeting of partners was a significant milestone in the fight against neglected tropical diseases. It brought together key stakeholders, raised awareness, fostered collaboration, and set the stage for a united effort to achieve the goal of a world free of neglected tropical diseases by 2030.

Delegates and representatives left the meeting of partners of the Global Program on Neglected Tropical Diseases with a moving call to action from its director, Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall.

As the multinational meeting, attended by some 300 key partners, came to a close in Geneva on Tuesday, June 13, Dr. Fall urged participants to embrace the message that “if we don’t challenge ourselves, we won’t.” we cannot evolve or improve.

At a wide-ranging event held to review progress against the WHO roadmap for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030 and generate a better understanding of global NTD operations from both cross-cutting and disease-specific perspectives , partners, donors, technical partners and institutions. and country representatives reinforced their commitment to achieving an ambitious goal: a world free of neglected tropical diseases by 2030.

The main theme of the meeting focused on the vision of “A community delivering a global program against NTDs”.

Taking a cue from the three key strategic changes advocated in the roadmap – greater national ownership, measuring impacts, not processes, and a commitment to cross-cutting activities and collaboration for greater efficiency – the discussions were pragmatic, clairvoyant and also full of the need for equity and justice in health to address NTDs.

Only such an approach, the meeting heard, can deliver the change some of the world’s poorest communities need to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

In the first global meeting of its kind since the launch of the roadmap in January 2021, delegates also heard from WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Welcoming participants at the start of the two-day symposium, Dr Tedros said: “This meeting illustrates what WHO is all about: partners coming together to harness their collective strength to address global health challenges that none of them we could board alone.

“A multifaceted challenge like neglected tropical diseases requires a multifaceted approach, and that’s what we brought together.”

Delegates and participants spent the next two days identifying key gaps and challenges in achieving high-level goals and local challenges on the ground. Those on-the-ground challenges include ensuring that people directly affected by NTDs and those directly responsible for managing NTD interventions are sought out and recognized, particularly in terms of communication and community engagement. The meeting also highlighted the importance of developing communities of practice, in order to build the capacity and confidence of the global NTD workforce.

In subsequent discussions, delegates agreed on principles and practical steps to implement actions towards the stated goals and planned together a Global Action Plan for 2025-2030.

Key actions and decisions emerging from the meeting included recommendations to strengthen and operationalize national coordination platforms to ensure coordination for joint planning and monitoring and evaluation, and to ensure more efficient supply chain management within national systems.

The partners’ meeting also took place at the end of a major functional review process within WHO’s Department of Neglected Tropical Disease Control.

Over the past four months, WHO has heard contributions and testimonies from all its partners and stakeholders, to ensure that it embodies the values ​​of accountability, transparency and equity that it upholds and demands.

Those values ​​also include ensuring that NTDs are repositioned in the global health architecture. Meeting participants welcomed the emphasis on the key roles the NTD community can and should play in contributing to broader challenges such as Universal Health Coverage, One Health and the growing threat of global climate change.

Delegates who attended in person were also able to enjoy an exhibition dedicated to neglected tropical diseases at WHO headquarters. A set of metal panels was commissioned to illustrate the 20 conditions that make up the NTD group, and were accompanied by photographs and information illustrating the actions that have been implemented over many decades to address them.