In the US, the Obama Administration releases its 2011 budget asking Congress to approve $155M for the treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a $90M increase over 2010. DNDi and MSF are calling for the inclusion of deadly NTDs, such as HAT, VL, and Chagas disease and to include R&D for urgently needed new tools including drugs to replace outdated, toxic, expensive, and ineffective ones. On February 22nd, DNDi, MSF, and RTI hold a briefing on Capitol Hill to inform policymakers of this deadly neglect and the opportunities to save the lives of neglected people suffering from these diseases.
“Controlling Deadly Neglected Tropical Diseases: Opportunities to expand the US impact”
This distinguished panel of non-governmental organizations discussed the needs and opportunities
for the expansion of the US impact on NTDs:
“Success of US NTD Control Program Targeting the 7 ‘Tool-Ready’ NTDs”: Mary Linehan, RTI, NTD Control Program Operations Director
“What about the other fatal NTDs? Life Saving Opportunities Today”: Dr. Francois Chappuis, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), International Advisor on NTDs
“Game Changing New Treatments in Dr. Manica Balasegaram, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), Sr. Clinical Research Manager.
Listen to the broadcast of the briefing!
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), are a group of 14 parasitic, bacterial and viral infections, which continue to be a major public health and economic threat to the developing world. These are the most common infections in the 2.7 billion people living on less than $2 a day.[i] Those affected are often marginalized and forgotten by governments, left to suffer in silence. Fortunately, control and treatment of these diseases is possible. The current U.S. government initiatives focus on a group of seven NTDs that have inexpensive, safe and effective treatments that are readily available.
However, the NTD Initiative currently excludes seven of the WHO recognized NTDs, including those that are often fatal if left untreated and have the highest death rates of all of the NTDs: leishmaniasis (kala azar), sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis or HAT), and Chagas disease.[ii] These diseases, along with Buruli ulcer, are largely left out of control and treatment programs because they are considered too difficult and costly to treat; the available tools are limited; and disease burdens are misunderstood due to inadequate diagnostics and surveillance systems. It is critical that we treat these diseases and develop new treatments and diagnostics now in order to save lives in the future.
The U.S. plays an essential role in leading the international fight against NTDs and its current programs have demonstrated significant success. The U.S. government must also play a role in the development and introduction of appropriate new tools for NTD control. Eventually, even those diseases considered to be “tool-ready” today will require new tools in the future. It is necessary to broaden the scope of US programs to include increased investment in Research and Development (R&D) for new tools. Although the National Institutes of Health invests in early stage R&D for some NTDs, USAID has the capability to develop new tools through clinical research and field introduction as they already do for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. With relatively little additional investment and within the next 5 years, the lives of patients suffering from these NTDs can be saved and several of the sorely needed tools necessary for long term disease control can be developed and introduced.
Hotez PJ, et al., Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, N Engl J Med 2007, 357:1018-27.
Hotez PJ, et al., Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, N Engl J Med 2007, 357:1018-27.
Press Release
Read the MSF and DNDi joint press release:
“White House Called on to expand Global Health Initiative : Funding Needed to Combat Most Deadly Neglected Diseases”
Briefing Paper
If you want to learn more about this issue, please read the MSF and DNDi joint briefing paper:
“Fighting Deadly Neglected Tropical Diseases: Opportunities to Expand U.S. Impact in Control of NTDs”
Global Health Initiative
If you want to learn more about the Obama’s administration Global Health Initiative (GHI), please read:
“Implementation of the Global Health Initiative: Consultation Document”
Briefing
If you want to listen to the whole briefing, please visit Doctors Without Borders’ (MSF) webpage:
Congressional Malaria & NTD Caucus Briefing: Controlling Deadly Neglected Tropical Diseases
VoA Article
If you wish to read the article of Voice of America, click here
Letter to USAID
NTDs mentioned in USAID Director Rajiv Shah’s testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on 2011 US Budget
If you wish to view the video, click on http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/292349-1 (the NTD question comes in around 31:28).
Below you will find the transcript:
Representative Payne: ….I see you’ve cut 50 million from the Global Fund and I wish you’d look at that….Secondly on NTDs although youre dealing with some of them, the most neglected including the fatal visceral leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease; and the disfiguring Buruli ulcer and I wonder if they can be included on that….also on three governance issues, Somalia and the TFG will there be in increase in development aid? we need to increase support…and are we concentrating enough on South Sudan? …finally Liberia needs more consideration….coordination w AfriCom
Dr. Rajiv Shah: On the Global Fund in the context of the GHI we’re committed to increasing significant financial increases against global health and even more using those resources in a more effective way against the lagging indicators in the MDGS such as maternal mortality, and newborn and obstetric care. We’re working with the Global Fund and Global Alliance for Vaccines and other vertical programs to accelerate partnerships between them and get more value out of the overall investment. The overall request on the GF is one billion dollars because it includes the treasury component and we’re committed to helping the GF succeed.
On NTDS, I will take your comments as advisement and look specifically into those cases. That is a unique area where I do believe we can and we have been in discussion with private partnerships to accelerate public private partnerships and meet the overall needs as they have been delineated by the WHO and others and that is a very much priority of the GHI.
Letter to USAID
Following the Congressional Malaria & NTD Caucus Briefing, thirteen members of Congress are formally urging USAID to expand R&D funding for treatments for four deadly tropical diseases that impact millions of people in developing countries, yet are largely left out of the Obama Administration’s new Global Health Initiative. The impassioned request was made in a letter sent to Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the US Agency for International Development on March 23, and is fully in step with the goals of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative.
