Ending the neglect: WHO webinars on Neglected Tropical Diseases

Starting with the inaugural webinar on the 17th of June on the new road map, COVID-19 and the road to recovery, the WHO has launched a series of NTD themed webinars.

The aims of this webinar series is to ensure global commitment to the WHO NTD road map 2021–2030, to support countries to strengthen health systems, to guide actions that build resilience for stronger primary and community health care, to make innovation, development and research fundamental enablers of progress across all 20 diseases, to foster integrated approaches that yield better health outcomes, cost efficiency, programme management and equity, and to keep country ownership, people and communities at the centre through collaboration with partners and stakeholders.

“WHO’s upcoming road map for neglected tropical diseases for 2021–2030 proposes a new model of operation,” said Dr Mwelecele Malecela, Director, WHO Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “This road map, with its major shifts, is even more relevant in the context of COVID-19 as it promotes resilience, health system strengthening, community participation, equity, country ownership and enhanced partner involvement through integrated, multisectoral collaboration.”

The themes of the eight other webinars (and provisional 2020 dates) are can be found here:

Provisional schedule link.

• Sustainability and resilient health systems (8 July): how the road map will contribute to sustainable and resilient health systems; Watch here: https://youtu.be/kMTnWYwQRoI
• Inspiring leadership (29 July): How can the youth advocate for and contribute to achieving targets envisaged in the 2030 NTD road map? Watch here: https://youtu.be/JQA4WEiSCp0
• WASH (2 September): how WASH will serve as a crucial pillar in accelerating and sustaining progress towards the 2030 targets; Watch here: https://youtu.be/wXcwsRCkt_I
• Innovation (18 September): how innovation can be fostered in the post-COVID environment and the innovation needed against NTDs to reach the 2030 targets across 20 diseases;
• Integrated control of skin-NTDs (21 October): how integrated control of skin NTDs in endemic countries can be used to reach the 2030 road map targets;
• NTDs and equity (11 November): how focus on NTDs can promote equity in the effort to leave no one behind; and
• The road map, One Health and the Global Vector Control Response (GVCR), including housing (2 December): how a One Health and GVCR approach can be used to help reach the 2030 road map goals.