Advocacy
Raising awareness about these widely ignored diseases
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse set of 20 diseases and disease groups that disproportionately affect populations living in poverty, predominantly women and children in tropical and subtropical areas. These diseases inflict suffering and dire social and economic consequences. NTDs are diseases of the “bottom billion” and are historically neglected on the global public health agenda.
Advocacy requires effective communication to persuade governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations, partners, stakeholders and the public to take action against NTDs. It is also essential in raising awareness about these widely ignored diseases. Informing the public about the burden of NTDs helps to create a robust global community of partners and volunteers that contribute to implementing global programmes to control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs.
Advocating together for action against NTDs
Advocacy for action against NTDs should ensure that these diseases of poverty are included in global, regional and national initiatives, and in all processes such as policy and funding dialogues that are linked to development, environmental policies and societal advancement.
It should aim also at ensuring that NTDs are included in integrated essential health packages in all endemic areas, to yield maximum benefits and well-being to all those in need, especially marginalized populations.
To support the road map, NTD advocacy should seek to maximize exposure to national, regional and global policy agendas and to increasingly engage with countries that have supported the global NTD programme as well as with partners beyond health.
The
road map
Eliminating NTDs: together towards 2030.
Ending NTDs: together towards 2030
The new road map for 2021-2030 is a powerful advocacy tool that calls for the delivery of comprehensive, integrated actions against NTDs.
The 2030 road map targets can inspire the global community to build commitment for action and “end the epidemics … of neglected tropical diseases”. It offers a range of opportunities to sustain and embrace new partnerships and involve actors from sectors beyond health.
In this context, advocacy for action against NTDs should be geared towards delivering the road map at different levels and in different contexts to benefit those affected by NTDs.
Governing
bodies
Neglected tropical diseases: World Health Assembly endorses bold new road map targets for 2030.
WHO governing bodies and the United Nations family
Advocacy is a process of influencing people to create change. WHO raises awareness of public health problems and seeks solutions to them through its normative role by developing technical guidance and international standards, and through consensus at the World Health Assembly.
WHO has consistently advocated for action against NTDs. Over the past decade, the World Health Assembly has adopted various resolutions on NTDs to call attention to and prioritize actions to prevent, control, eliminate or eradicate them.
World NTD
Day
Khamdani with his family in his rice cracker factory at his home in Pekalongan City, Indonesia. Khamdani, an LF patient, is a respected community leader in his town.
Achieving health equity to end the neglect of poverty-related diseases
On 31 May 2021, the World Health Assembly (WHA) recognized 30 January as World Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Day through decision WHA74(18). This decision formalized 30 January as a day to create better awareness on the devastating impact of NTDs on the poorest populations around the world. The day is also an opportunity to call on everyone to support the growing momentum for the control, elimination and eradication of these diseases.
Global NTD partners had marked the celebration in January 2021 by organizing various virtual events and also by lighting up landmark monuments and buildings. Following the WHA decision, WHO joins the NTD community in adding its voice to the global call. 30 January commemorates several events, such as the launch of the first NTD road map in 2012; the London Declaration on NTDs; and the launch, in January 2021, of the current road map.