Neglected tropical diseases: “a rags-to-riches story”

Best days for public health are ahead of us, says WHO Director-General

21 May 2012 | Geneva
The Sixty-fifth session of the World Health Assembly is taking place in Geneva during 21–26 May 2012.

Dr Margaret Chan, WHO’s Director-General, addressed the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly on 21 May 2012, stressing the importance of national ownership and leadership in bringing neglected tropical diseases “from obscurity into the limelight”.

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• Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly
• Technical Briefing Sustaining the drive to overcome the global impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
• Ministers of health of endemic countries reaffirm their pledge to eradicate dracunculiasis
• Adoption of the resolution on Schistosomiasis (WHA65.19)

Historic meeting endorses London Declaration

03 February 2012 | Geneva
The publication of a roadmap that lays out the vision for ending the misery caused by neglected tropical diseases has inspired public and private partners to unite in the fight against some of the most devastating diseases.

WHO Director-General, who addressed a meeting at the Royal College of Physicians in London on Monday 30 January 2012 spoke of the historic opportunity presented by the roadmap to accelerate work to overcome neglected tropical diseases.

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• View recorded webcast
• Executive summary
• Roadmap
• NTD clip

13 January 2012 | Geneva
A recent assessment has shown that a single dose of azithromycin is as effective in treating yaws as a single-injection of benzathine penicillin.

This finding provides huge potential for eliminating yaws by overcoming the limitations of an injectable antibiotic in mass treatment campaigns.

WHO will convene a technical meeting of experts in March 2012 to review the evidence and define ways forward for yaws elimination.

• Full article (The Lancet)
• Comment on Lancet article
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14 October 2011 | Geneva
On 14 October 2010, the World Health Organization published its first report on 17 neglected tropical diseases that cause misery and disability in very poor populations.

Working to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases provides evidence that many of these diseases can be controlled and even eliminated using existing interventions that include the administration of safe, simple and effective medicines.

One year-on, and to mark the first anniversary of the report, the Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases has updated figures and maps to show the progress being made against these debilitating diseases.

• Full details
• WHO/NTD Report update 2011
• Full coverage