DNDi's intervention at the 73rd World Health Assembly:
Agenda item 11.8: Neglected Tropical Diseases
DNDi welcomes the draft Roadmap and urges its adoption.
Developing new, context-sensitive tools to diagnose and treat NTDs is critical to meet the Roadmap’s targets. New, simpler treatments for sleeping sickness helped halve new cases to meet 2020 targets.
To accelerate progress, all Member States should support an innovation agenda that includes:
- Innovation as part of national implementation plans;
- Promotion of collaborative, open, and integrated R&D approaches;
- Investments in national research, surveillance, and cross-disease platforms for drug supply and delivery;
- Incorporation of new tools into countries’ essential packages of care; and
- New domestic and international financing strategies for sustainable access.
For its part, DNDi commits to develop new test-and-treat approaches to support the 2030 goals.