01.06.2021
World Day for Neglected Tropical Diseases
WHO pushes fight against worms, leprosy, rabies & Co.
The fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is not out of the focus of international health policy, even at this time on the ongoing pandemic. To draw more attention to NTDs, the virtual 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva designated January 30 as World NTD Day…
The German Network Against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) welcomes the WHA's decision. "The fact that the WHA has now officially proclaimed World NTD Day is encouraging for all those working in this field," commented DNTDs Speaker and Director IMMIP Professor Achim Hoerauf in an interview with Ärzte Zeitung. Unfortunately, however, there are also setbacks right now. Hörauf: "We should not leave it at symbolism alone. Only recently, the British government announced that it would cancel the 170 million euros that had been earmarked and already approved for the fight against NTDs. This means the end for many programs. Diseases that were well under control are now in danger of becoming more widespread. 270 million treatments with drugs and 180,000 surgeries are now facing the end. 200 million people are affected!"
Anti-dengue activities in India: Dengue is one of the 20 neglected tropical diseases that the WHO has pledged to step up the fight against by 2030.
© Str / dpa / picture-alliance
