World NTD Day 2024: Unite. Act. Eliminate.
Today is World Neglected Disease day 2024. A global movement to end Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), now in its third year, which RSTMH is proud to partner.
The theme of this year is ‘Unite. Act. Eliminate.’ and it calls on governments, leaders, members of the public and the global health community to ‘act now, act together and invest in neglected tropical diseases’.
The purpose of World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is to raise the profile of neglected tropical diseases, the suffering they cause and to bring support towards their control, elimination and eradication, in line with the programmatic targets set out in the NTD road map 2021−2030 and the commitments of the 2022 Kigali declaration on neglected tropical diseases.
We, at RSTMH, have long been aware of the devastating impact of NTDs on communities around the world. We support efforts to beat these diseases through our communications and policy activities, our grants programme, events, ournals and through the work of our members. Through these activities we fund work on NTDs, publish research and implementation learnings and also encourage awareness and discussion. We also support hundreds of our members and Fellows who work in the field of NTDs.
The scope of our work in this area includes the 21 diseases themselves as well as the contextual issues which prevent progress in their elimination and eradication, such as the challenges of poverty, lack of water and sanitation, conflict, and other areas within the sustainable development goals.
World NTD Day 2024
This year, for World NTD Day, we are excited to share with you two blogs.
The first, by Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, World Health Organization Director for Neglected Tropic Diseases, looks at what 2023 meant for Neglected Tropical Diseases and looks ahead at what the next year will bring. In this blog, Dr Socé Fall emphasizes the need for partnership.
“Engaging a diverse array of stakeholders, from government bodies to NGOs, community leaders, and those directly affected by NTDs, is crucial for a comprehensive strategy. These partnerships are the bedrock of our efforts, enriching them with diverse perspectives and strengths.”
Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall
We also share a blog from Professor David Mabey, on the recent recognition of Noma as a neglected tropical disease, by the WHO.
Professor Mabey is a Past President and Trustee of RSTMH, as well as being Chair of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group of the WHO Department of NTDs. In this blog he explains the decision behind Noma being offically recognised as an NTD and shares what led up to the decision, which was announced only last month. Read the blog here.
RSTMH activities
At the end of last year we published, in partnership with Sightsavers, a supplement to our journal International Health on the infectious eye disease, and NTD, trachoma. The supplement, 'Trachoma: Accelerating progress to elimination as a public health problem', focuses on Sightsavers’ programmes to eliminate this painful and debilitating disease.
Read more about the supplement here.
We published a supplement in International Health on ‘Mental Health, Stigma & Neglected Tropical Diseases’, also at the end of 2023 last year. This supplement is Part A of two parts, with Part B due to be published later in the year.
This supplement was made possible with support from CBM Global, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, The Leprosy Mission, The Carter Centre, Effect Hope, and grants from the National Institute for Health Research, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and UK Aid.
It includes voices of individuals affected by NTDs, some of whom contribute to the Guest Editorial Committee. Their stories highlight the personal and social impact, showcasing the rise of representative organizations influencing policy, interventions, and research. Read the supplement here.
Our Early Career Grant awardees
To mark World NTD Day 2024, we spoke to a number of our Early Career Grant awardees about what this year’s theme of ‘Unite, Act, Eliminate’ means to them and why they chose to focus on NTDs in their Early Career Grant research. Hear from our awardees here.
The RSTMH Early Career Grants Programme provides grants every year to those early in their career, from anywhere in the world, to carry out their first piece of research into tropical medicine or global health.
Our 2024 Early Career Grants Programme opened for applicants last week and closes on 22 April 2024. Find out more through the link here.
Join our webinar
On Friday 2 February 2024, we will be hosting a webinar in recognition of World Leprosy Day, which took place on Sunday (28 January), and of World NTD Day. This webinar will focus on the theme of the day: Ending Stigma, Embracing Dignity.
This theme is significant, highlighting the importance of addressing the stigma and social impacts that are often associated with the neglected tropical disease leprosy.
This webinar will feature a panel discussion from leading experts in the field of leprosy, chaired by Dr Saba Lambert, Leprosy Clinician at ALERT Hospital, Ethiopia, and Clinical Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Find out more and register here.
Other activities
Today, RSTMH will be involved in multiple partner activities for World Neglect Disease Day.
These include contributing to an event held by the UK Coalition against NTDs and the APPG for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, which is being held in the House of Lords this afternoon.
RSTMH is a member of the UK Coalition and the event looks to raise awareness of NTDs to senior UK government figures. Invited speakers include representatives from the UK Government and Parliament, affected communities, civil society, WHO and endemic country representatives
Also today, Reaching the Last Mile, the UAE Embassy to the UK, and the World Health Organization are organizing a reception to celebrate World NTD Day. This will include a screening of the documentary short ‘The Fly Collectors’, which captures the journey to stamp out river blindness in Senegal. RSTMH will be in attendance.
