On World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, I echo the World Health Organisation on calling for global and community leaders to unite and act to address the inequalities which drive Neglected tropical diseases, and make sustainable investments to bring health and wellbeing to the estimated 1.62 billion people affected in vulnerable cycles of disease and marginalisation.

As World Leprosy Day was observed yesterday, a disease caused by infection with a slow-growing bacterium, which currently occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200 000 new cases reported every year, it is a reminder that this #NTD, like all others, is completely preventable, can be easily cured if not neglected, and in many cases, can be fully eliminated from countries.

As community trusted caretakers and healthcare providers, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa actively works to raise the awareness, and profile of suffering, on neglected tropical diseases, to garner support towards their control, elimination and eradication, in line with the programmatic targets set out in the World Health Organization NTD Road Map 2021−2030 and the commitments of the 2022 Kigali declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases.

As The Wellbeing Foundation Africa re-commits to Ending Neglected Tropical Diseases Together Towards 2030, there must be a shift towards accountability, accelerating programmatic action, collaboration and multisectoral action, strengthening country capacity and ownership, and mobilising resources through long-term financing.

📸: Private viewing of the exhibition Reframing Neglect at Cromwell Place in London, hosted by The End Fund and supported by Reaching the Last Mile.

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