To Improve Global Health Security, We Must Not Abandon Tackling Existing Epidemics

Over 600 million people in Africa require treatment for an NTD, making up 35% of the global burden. Credit: Uniting to Combat NTDsBy Thoko Elphick-PooleyHOVE, United Kingdom, Jun 11 2021 (IPS) As world leaders come together in the UK for the G7, the global response to COVID-19 and how we can build a better defence system against infection is at the forefront of discussions.  Whilst we applaud the incredible global efforts in tackling COVID-19 and support calls for vaccines to be shared equitably across the world, we also urge G7 leaders not to abandon efforts to tackle existing epidemics such as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), HIV/AIDs, malaria, TB and polio. The gains that have been made fighting these diseases must not be lost or we risk disease resurgence that will be even more costly to address, which could lead to a disastrous disease epidemic with mass consequences. Diseases like blinding trachoma, leprosy, intestinal worms, Guinea worm disease and elephantiasis; they blind, disable, and can even be fatal. These diseases are preventable and treatable, yet they still affect 1.7 billion people around the world As demonstrated by COVID-19, health crises don’t pop up overnight. They are a consequence of systemic underinvestment in global health, lack of strong disease surveillance systems capable of detecting disease outbreaks, global data sharing protocols, weak health systems compounded by a lack of pandemic preparedness backed by sustainable financing for global ...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Headlines Health TerraViva United Nations Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Source Type: news