Accelerating Research and Development, and Access and Delivery for NTDs
TOKYO, May 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On May 12th, the eve of the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting, global health leaders from around the world convened in Nagasaki to call for the prioritization of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Gathering at the Symposium for G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting in Nagasaki, “Accelerating Research, Development, Access, and Delivery for Neglected Tropical Diseases,” hosted by the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund), Nagasaki University and Uniting to Combat NTDs (Uniting), leaders and the community*1 jointly developed the Nagasaki Outcomes Statement, which calls for the acceleration of R&D, access, and delivery for NTDs.
NTDs are a group of 20 conditions that affect more than 1.6 billion people and disproportionally affect communities in low-income countries (LICs). Despite the need for diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics, NTDs are under-researched, under-treated and under-funded. Whilst incredible progress has been made against NTDs, with 47 countries having eliminated at least one NTD, and 600 million fewer people required interventions against NTDs in 2020 than in 2010, the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic slowdowns are threatening progress made to date. Unless sustained and specific action-oriented steps to maintain the momentum are taken, there is a real risk of a reversal of gains made in the last decade.
The Nagasaki Outcome Statement builds on and reaffirms the “Kigali Declaration on NTD,s*2” a high-level political declaration that is mobilizing political will, community commitment, resources and action, and securing commitments needed to end suffering caused by NTDs. The Nagasaki Outcome Statement aims to accelerate the implementation of the Kigali Declaration by outlining how R&D, access and delivery for NTDs are critical to achieving G7’s ambitions on Universal Health Coverage*3 and pandemic preparedness.
It highlights the importance of:
1) Accelerating research and development (R&D) for NTDs.
2) Accelerating access for medical interventions against NTDs.
3) Connecting, coordinating and creating an enabling environment for the acceleration of R&D, access and delivery.
The details of the Nagasaki Outcome Statement will be announced as soon as they are finalized.
Osamu Kunii, CEO of GHIT Fund, stated “We are confident that Japan, as the host country of the G7, has communicated to the world the current status of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and has made progress in addressing these issues together with stakeholders from industry, government, academia and the private sector. The role of the GHIT Fund is to work closely with our partners to accelerate research and development more than ever, and to serve as a bridge between Japan and the world to promote innovation and product development.”
Professor Shigeru Kohno, President of Nagasaki University stated, “It is significant that Japan, as the chair of the G7, has been able to send a message about the need to revitalize neglected tropical diseases (NTD) countermeasures and research and development at a time when the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the end of its emergency declaration for COVID-19, for which many resources have been allocated to counter the pandemic and those for NTDs have been greatly delayed. Nagasaki University, which has the leading tropical medicine research institutions in Japan, would like to further contribute to the global fight against NTDs by bringing together not only academics, but also industry, government, and the private sector.”
Thoko Elphick-Pooley, Executive Director of Uniting to Combat NTDs, said: “We acknowledge and commend the G7’s endorsement of the Kigali Declaration on NTDs. We call on G7 leaders to continue to meet their commitments by building on investments in research and innovation for new drugs and diagnostics to help reach the goals set out in the World Health Organization’s NTD road map, as well as financing to ensure a sustainable supply of commodities for NTDs. This investment will help to ensure that the most vulnerable populations have access to effective treatments and prevention measures. Investing in NTD programs is critical to achieving the G7 priorities of universal health coverage (UHC) and pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response (Pandemic PPR) efforts. Urgent action is needed to protect progress on NTDs. This is a critical moment; when the G7 acts together, they can achieve ambitious goals.”
*1 Nagasaki Outcome Statement “Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)” Community
(in no particular order)
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), The END Fund, Baylor College of Medicine, The Global Health Innovation Alliance Accelerator(GHIAA), The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund), Global Institute for Disease Elimination(GLIDE), Japan Alliance on Global NTDs (JAGntd）, Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association（JPMA）, Medicines Development for Global Health, Merck KGaA, MSF Access Campaign, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Nagasaki University, The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, SDGs Promise Japan（SPJ）, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), United Nations Development Programme-Access and Delivery Partnership (UNDP-ADP), Uniting to Combat NTDs (Uniting) and the WHO (Global WHO NTD Program and Regional Office for Africa (AFRO).
*2 About Kigali Declaration (Kigali Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs))
“The Kigali Declaration on NTDs” is a high-level political declaration that is mobilizing political will, community commitment, resources and action, and securing commitments needed to end suffering caused by NTDs. Launched at the “Kigali Summit on Malaria and NTDs” held in Rwanda in June 2022, the Declaration has already galvanized substantial commitments from donor governments, endemic country governments, pharmaceutical companies, and NGOs, with US$1.5 billion in financial commitments and 19 billion donated tablets. Created in consultation with stakeholders around the world, the Declaration puts individuals, communities, and countries at the center of the NTD response. Each signatory makes a unique and vital contribution towards ending NTDs. Collectively, these translate into incredible progress being made. The actions set out in this Declaration will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) target on NTDs and to deliver the targets set out in the World Health Organization’s NTD Road map; to eradicate two NTDs, control at least one NTDs in 100 countries and reduce the number of people requiring therapeutic intervention for NTDs by 90% by 2023.
(Source: Eisai Co., Ltd., Uniting to Combat NTDs ：https://www.eisai.co.jp/news/2022/news202250.html
https://unitingtocombatntds.org/en/)
*3 About Universal Health Coverage
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) means “access for all people to basic health services when they need throughout their lives at a cost they can afford”, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the UN Summit in September 2015, lists the achievement of UHC as Goal 3 (health and well-being). More than 50 years ago, in 1961, Japan’s healthcare system’s improvements progressed such as the realization of the universal health insurance system, reducing medical disparities, and today, Japanese citizens are enjoying the highest life expectancy in the world. The Japanese government has listed the promotion of UHC as a policy goal and basic policy in its “Basic Policy for Peace and Health” announced in September 2015, and drawing on Japan’s experience, is actively working towards the realization of UHC in every country.
（Source: Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association https://www.jpma.or.jp/about/ )
Commemorative Symposium for G7 Health Ministers Meeting in Nagasaki
“Accelerating Research and Development, Access and Delivery for Neglected Tropical Diseases”
【Theme】：”Accelerating Research and Development, Access and Delivery for Neglected Tropical Diseases”
【Date/Time】：Friday, May 12, 2023, 12:00-14:00
【Venue】：The Global View NAGASAKI（Takara-machi 2-26, Nagasaki）
【Moderated by】: Hayato Urabe, Senior Director, Investment Strategy, Portfolio Development & Innovations at
GHIT Fund
【Speakers & Agenda】
- Opening Speech by Shigeru Kohno, President of Nagasaki University
- Video Message from State Minister of Finance and Member of the House of Councilors Kozo Akino
- Global NTD Landscape and Needs, Progress on the Roadmap and New NTD Department Director’s vision on the way forward
by Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director of the Global NTD Program at the World Health Organization (WHO) - Japan’s contribution in NTD, from Industry
by Sachiko Nakagawa, Managing Director of Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) - Why coordination and collaboration is critical to achieve impact for neglected tropical diseases?
by Thoko Elphick-Pooley, Executive Director of Uniting to Combat NTDs - What is PDP and their role in fighting NTD
by Luis Pizarro, DNDi Executive Director - From Funder’s perspective, why invest in NTDs? (Online)
by Katey Einterz Owen, Director, Neglected Tropical Diseases and Director, Vaccines Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Coordinating Access (Online)
by John Reeder, Director, Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and Director, the Research for Health Department at the World Health Organization - Closing Remarks
by Peter Piot, Professor of Global Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Special Advisor on COVID-19 to the President of the European Commission
【Organizers】：Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund), Nagasaki University, and Uniting to Combat NTDs
【Support】: DNDi Japan, Japan alliance on Global NTDs (JAGntd）, Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association（JPMA）, SDGs Promise Japan（SPJ）, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Nikkei FT Communicable Diseases, and Asahi Shimbun
About Global Health Innovative Technology Fund
The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership fund (PPP) that was formed between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests and manages an R&D portfolio of development partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners, the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases.
https://www.ghitfund.org/en
About Nagasaki University
The origin of Nagasaki University can be traced back to the time when Dr. Pompe van Meerdervoort, a medical officer at the Naval Training Center, began medical education in a room of the Nagasaki Magistrate’s Office on November 12, 1857. Its direct predecessor was Nagasaki Medical College, founded in 1923, which merged with other national institutions in Nagasaki to form “Nagasaki University” in 1949.As of April 2023, Nagasaki University has ten faculties and eight graduate schools (including an interdisciplinary graduate school), and its basic philosophy is “to inherit the traditional culture rooted in Nagasaki, to cultivate a rich spirit, and to contribute to the harmonious development of society by creating science that supports peace on earth. Based on this philosophy, Nagasaki University promotes education, research, and social contribution activities to become a world-class planetary health center.
About Uniting to Combat NTDs
Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) exists to end NTDs by mobilising resources in support of the World Health Organization’s NTD road map and the Sustainable Development Goals. We envision a world where no-one suffers from these preventable and treatable diseases. We work with over 150 partners around the world to create the political will and an enabling environment for change to collectively address the NTD crisis. Together, we champion investment for NTDs.
For more information, contact:
GHIT Fund
Katy Lenard at +1-301-280-5719 or [email protected]
Mina Ohata / Eriko Mugitani +81-36441-2032 or
[email protected] / [email protected]
Nagasaki University
Masanori Komeda 81-95-819-2156 / [email protected]
Uniting to Combat NTDs
Louisa Tribe
+44(0)7412 523 750 / [email protected]
SOURCE Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund
