Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support global efforts against neglected tropical diseases.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID is a global leader on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). At the high profile London Declaration on NTDs in 2012 the UK brought together the International Community including Leading pharmaceutical companies. We are meeting our commitments including spending £195m on NTDs through multi-year programmes and as a result of the London Declaration pharmaceutical companies have pledged drugs valued at US$17.8 billion from 2014 to 2020. We support programmes that tackle a range of NTDs including schistosomiasis (bilharzia), blinding trachoma, lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness) and visceral leishmaniasis. Eradication of Guinea worm disease is in sight and the UK has played a key role in this, supporting the work of the Carter Center and the World Health Organisation.

DFID support research through a range of initiatives which include the development of new treatment and diagnostic products, as well as implementation research