The World Health
Organization (WHO) welcomes the announcement that Novartis pharmaceutical
corporation will commit US$ 250 million to the fight against neglected tropical
diseases (NTDs) and malaria. This comes in the wake of the Kigali Summit on
Malaria and NTDs, which was held alongside the 26th Commonwealth Heads of
Government meeting (CHOGM), on 23 June 2022.
The Kigali Declaration,
announced at the event, aims to mobilize the political will and commitments
required to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 3 (the
“health goal”), which includes NTDs, and to deliver the targets set in WHO’s NTD
road map for 2021–2030.
The financial commitment
announced by Novartis will help fund cutting-edge research and development, and
will focus specifically on developing new, effective treatments for three NTDs
(Chagas disease, dengue and visceral leishmaniasis), in addition to
cryptosporidiosis and malaria.
WHO welcomes equally the
commitment to partnership included in the investment, whereby Novartis will
link with The Wellcome Trust, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative
and other partners, to fight diseases which blight the lives of millions of
people in some of the world’s poorest communities.
