The meeting on Wednesday brought together Margaret Chan as DG, Kofi Annan, Bill Gates, WHO staff, pharmaceutical companies, NGOs, NTD coalitions and research groups to exchange achievements made so far, but to highlight what is needed in order to achieve the targets for 2020 and beyond.
An important topic was the link between SDGs and NTDs and how the efforts can be maintained beyond 2020. Health systems and health system strengthening was often mentioned to be a priority, as well as the need to collaborate if elimination is to be achieved. More disease-specific exchanges have also taken place and are still taking place in the meetings organised by Uniting to Combat since yesterday.
Scientific publication
- Hélène Carabin, Andrea S. Winkler and Pierre Dorny: Taenia solium cysticercosis and taeniosis: Achievements from the past 10 years and the way forward. PLOS April 2017
Neglected Tropical Diseases in the media
- The Guardian: WHO director general says significant strides have been made in fight against sleeping sickness, elephantiasis and other neglected tropical diseases
- CNN: Winning the war against ancient diseases
- Reuters: Gates backs Big Pharma push to wipe out tropical diseases
- BBC News: 'Phenomenal' progress in fighting tropical diseases