20 years ago, doctors and health workers around the world were faced with shocking neglect: a lack of effective, safe, and affordable medicines for neglected diseases.
When Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999, they dedicated a portion of the award to exploring a new, alternative, not-for-profit model for developing drugs for neglected patients.
In 2003, five international research institutions teamed up with MSF and the World Health Organization Special Programme on Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR) to found DNDi. Together with partners who’ve been with us from the start and hundreds more who’ve joined us since, we have delivered 12 affordable new treatments for six deadly diseases.
Throughout 2023, we’re joining with our friends and allies to look back at the advances our partnerships have made and examining the obstacles we’ve yet to overcome.
Shining a light on inclusive innovation at the World Health Assembly
As part of our 20th anniversary activities, we were delighted to be joined by dozens of partners and friends of DNDi on the side-lines of the 76th World Health Assembly in May for our event titled ‘Accelerating universal health coverage with inclusive new tools’.
Reflecting on progress and pitfalls in meeting the health needs of neglected and marginalized communities, our guest speakers explored the role of inclusive medical innovation in supporting progress toward the goal of universal health coverage, by providing access to context-specific, accessible, and affordable health tools for everyone who needs them.
Building a stronger and safer community to tackle dengue in India
On India’s National Dengue Day, we hosted an event with one of our founding partners, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), to discuss how we can improve surveillance, prevention, treatment, and control of dengue in South Asia through collective action such as the Dengue Alliance.
Focusing on our commitment to the best science
In January, we introduced a refreshed logo, updated to incorporate the words ‘Best Science for the Most Neglected’ – a simple phrase that has defined who we are and what we do from the very beginning and that represents the ethos we know will continue to bind our partners together throughout DNDi’s next chapter.
Innovating together
We are deeply grateful to the partners and supporters who have made our work for neglected patients possible.
We invite you to help us share the advances our partnerships have made in the past 20 years!
Please follow us on social media for news about our anniversary events this year.
