Donors promise more than $777 million to end neglected tropical diseases

Clive Tatenda Makumbe in UAE

At the 2023 Reaching the Last Mile Forum, countries around the world promised to give a total of $777. 2 million to fight neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). This is a big step towards reaching the goals set by the World Health Organization to control and eliminate NTDs by 2030.

Working together with countries that have a lot of people affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), the people who give money to help, responded quickly to the request for help to increase the fight against NTDs because of climate change. They also agreed to work together to make life better for the 1. 6 billion people around the world who are affected by these terrible but preventable diseases.

Reaching the Last Mile (RLM) hosted an event where people promised to help with global health. This initiative is led by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The forum happened on the first Health Day ever at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28).

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the UAE, was with other important leaders from around the world including H.E Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is the President of Tanzania, and H.E Austin Demby, the head of the health department in Sierra Leone, is showing strong leadership in fighting against NTDs in his country.

Bill Gates and His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed Al Nahyan from the UAE were at the event with other important people to work on improving global health.

“Reaching the Last Mile” partnered with the Gates Foundation and other organizations to increase the Reaching the Last Mile Fund from $100 million to $500 million. The fund will now help more countries in Africa and Yemen. It aims to get rid of two diseases, lymphatic filariasis and river blindness, from Africa.

The money adds to the success of the RLMF, which started in 2017 as a fund with many donors for 10 years. Its goal is to create a plan to get rid of two diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.

His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed Al Nahyan said: “Today we promise again to get rid of these diseases caused by being poor, and help save and make lives better all around the world. ” Climate change is causing diseases to spread in new ways and it threatens the progress that countries have made in fighting them.

“The Reaching the Last Mile Fund is a great chance to help African communities get rid of two diseases. It also helps to make the world healthier by working together. ”

“Climate change is connected to poverty and diseases that affect millions of people,” said Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “That’s why it’s really important to give money to healthcare that saves lives. We’re working with other countries to keep up the great progress of the Reaching the Last Mile Fund and get rid of LF and river blindness in Africa and other places as quickly as we can. ”

The Last Mile has promised to give $100 million, the same as the Gates Foundation. This is five times more money than they originally gave when they started the fund.

More help from different countries and organizations will help RLMF do more to make sure over 350 million people don’t need treatment for these diseases by 2030.

High Exellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is the President of Tanzania, said: “I am very happy to have been part of the start of this big idea to make Africa free of river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. ” Tanzania promises to put more money into fighting NTDs in their own country. They also hope that their development partners will keep supporting them in this effort.

“While there is still not enough money for NTDs around the world, this effort shows an important progress in improving the health and well-being of people in Tanzania and across Africa. ” Together, we can stop these awful illnesses and make a way for a healthier and better future for everyone.

In the past five years, the RLMF has given more than 100 million treatments, taught 1. 3 million health workers, and set up nine laboratories to help with monitoring and testing for NTDs. The money also helped stop the spread of river blindness in Niger, which was thought to be impossible in Africa. It also helped Senegal get closer to reaching this goal.

During the big event, many organizations and governments promised to give a lot of money to help people.

These promises will help get the money needed to speed up progress towards the WHO’s goals. The goals include at least 100 countries getting rid of at least one NTD by 2030, and reducing by 90% the number of people needing treatment for NTDs.

So far, 50 countries have gotten rid of at least one neglected tropical disease, and 600 million people don’t need treatment anymore. The number of people getting diseases like Guinea worm disease and sleeping sickness is at the lowest it’s ever been.

However, the changing climate is making it easier for diseases to spread, which could undo the progress we’ve made in getting rid of certain illnesses and stop us from making more progress in the future.

The promise will give money to important programs and treatments, help new research and ideas, and make health systems and workers stronger.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is in charge of the World Health Organization, thanked the global community and especially the leader of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for their support at the 2023 Reaching the Last Mile Forum.