Most recently, Dr Mistry shared views on the importance of NTD National Plans with ANA’s Musah Ibrahim Musah during a telephone interview from London. Here’s what he had to say:
The National Plans are actually critical to moving forward the global target to NTD control and elimination by 2020. And these targets were unanimously agreed upon based on the WHOs Road Map on NTDs. And critical to the national level response is the creation of the national plan on NTD and that is why it is important. It means that it is a plan that is part of the national health plan which then means that there would be staff that would be allocated to be part of that plan which is important to coordinate all the partners which are involved in the implementation of the plan and then, more importantly, if there is a plan in place, it can be budgeted and supported financially, and, the combination of the financial support, which would come from the Ministry of Finance in the country as well as international donor partners. And the plan also ensures that there is coordination among all the various initiatives and that ensures that it is an integrated approach to NTD control and treatment.
Accra Call to Action
So I think we now have about 35 African countries that have integrated national plans for NTD control. The plans are in various stages of development and Ethiopia was obviously in a position where they could launch their plan last June. Kenya launched their plan last year; so we are finding that through processes like the “Accra Call to Action”, countries are showing their level of political commitment. They are working with the technical partners, to actually, develop it and this is how it is culminating in the launch of the plans; which is what happened with Ethiopia last month. So I think there’s been action.
Meeting in Brussels
It was very good; in that there was a lot of interest in this particular issue. The parliamentarians and the Foreign Affairs Committee were impressed at the level of progress that has been made politically and programmatically in the NTD control and they understood and acknowledge the link between NTDs and the broader development agenda, particularly, the NTD inclusion in the initial report on the high level panel to the post 2015 agenda. And clearly what needs to happen is, as we have seen this level of interest among many donor countries that they need to figure out how to include it as part of their development assistance strategies. So, this is something that they are actually in the process of considering now.
Message to NTD Community
So we just have to keep the pressure and keep the momentum going on our current effort and keep exploring ways of making the process more efficient; and bring in new partners, so we can accelerate the response. Without new partners, on the donor side as well as on the programming side, we won’t reach the target. So, we have to bring in new partners in order for the progress to happen. And the most important partner in all of this, are the national government who have the political commitment as well as commit resources, so that we can all be true partners in this, contributing to the plan.
ABOUT SABIN VACCINE INSTITUTE
Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization made up of scientists, researchers, and advocates dedicated to reducing needless human suffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases. Sabin works with governments, leading public and private organizations, and academic institutions to provide solutions for some of the world’s most pervasive health care challenges.
Since its founding in 1993 in honor of the oral polio vaccine developer, Dr. Albert B. Sabin, the Institute has been at the forefront of efforts to control, treat, and eliminate vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases by developing new vaccines, advocating use of existing vaccines, and promoting increased access to affordable medical treatments.
Sabin was founded on the legacy and global vision of one of medicine’s most pre-eminent scientific figures, Dr. Albert B. Sabin, who is best known for developing the oral live virus polio vaccine. Dr. Sabin not only dedicated his entire professional career to groundbreaking medical advancements to reduce human suffering, he also waged a tireless and lifelong campaign against poverty and ignorance.
Sabin works to provide greater access to vaccines and essential treatments for hundreds of millions of people stuck in a cycle of pain, poverty and despair. Sabin’s three main programs – Sabin Vaccine Development, the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Vaccine Advocacy and Education – strive to uphold Dr. Sabin’s lifelong efforts by developing preventative measures for diseases that place burdens on the world’s poorest countries.
Sabin’s diverse partnerships are key to our efforts to fulfill the organization’s mission. In 2011, the Sabin Product Development Partnership (Sabin PDP) relocated to Houston, Texas to begin a new affiliation with Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). The Sabin PDP laboratories are housed in a new, state-of-the-art, 10,000 square-foot facility at TCH, which is part of Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center.
These and other partnerships with groups such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, governments, academic institutions, scientists, medical professionals, and non-profit organizations are critical in furthering the development of strategies to reduce human suffering from devastating vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases.
Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases
The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (Global Network), a major program of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, is an advocacy and resource mobilization initiative dedicated to raising the awareness, political will, and funding necessary to control and eliminate the seven most common neglected tropical diseases (NTDs): soil-transmitted helminths (hookworm, ascariasis, and trichuriasis), onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, trachoma, and lymphatic filariasis.
The vision of the Global Network is a world free of NTDs where children and families are able to grow, learn and become productive members of their communities. We are committed to working with governments, individuals, institutions and corporations globally to make this a reality as we end the neglect.
About END7
END7 is an international advocacy campaign that seeks to raise the awareness and funding necessary to control and eliminate the seven most common neglected tropical diseases by 2020. The international effort to control and eliminate NTDs has the support of a diverse group of global partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), national governments, pharmaceutical companies, corporations and individuals. END7 is run by the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, an initiative of the Sabin Vaccine Institute.
About NTDs
NTDs are a group of 17 parasitic and bacterial infections that are the most common afflictions of the world’s poorest people. They blind, disable and disfigure their victims, trapping them in a cycle of poverty and disease. Research shows that treating NTDs lifts millions out of poverty by ensuring that children stay in school to learn and prosper; by strengthening worker productivity; and by improving maternal and child health.