I am writing to you as a MSU student concerned about the devastating burden of neglected tropical diseases, NTDs, on global health. NTDs are a group of bacterial and parasitic infections that infect almost one in six people worldwide, including more than half a billion children.
If untreated, NTDs not only cause chronic illness, disability and disfigurement, but they prevent children from going to school and receiving an education and prevent adults from working and earning income for themselves and their families. NTDs perpetuate poverty and diminish opportunity for those who suffer from them.
As the name suggests, many of the world’s wealthiest nations have provided minimal funding for research, prevention and treatment of these diseases. These diseases have also been called neglected because the vast majority of those who suffer from them have not political voice.
Although the consequences of NTDs can be devastating, these diseases can easily be prevented and treated with inexpensive and safe medications. In fact, it costs only 50 cents to treat and prevent seven NTDs for one person for an entire year. Although pharmaceutical companies have donated 11.1 billion dollars worth of these crucial medications, funds are still needed to deliver and disperse NTD treatment and prevention medications to communities across the globe.
My involvement in the effort to end NTDs began when I became one of the founding members and secretary of the END7 MSU chapter. END7 is an international advocacy campaign operated by the Global Network for Tropical Diseases that aims to bring awareness to NTDs and increase funding for the elimination and control of the seven most prevalent NTDs by the year 2020.
Currently, our chapter of END7 at MSU, 50 members strong, is working to raise funds and awareness about NTDs across our campus. However, the task of eliminating these diseases by the year 2020 will require the U.S. and other governments along with non-governmental organizations and committed individuals to contribute funds and resources.
Currently, the United States is the largest contributor to global NTD mass drug administration programs. The U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, is a world leader in large-scale treatment and prevention programs and supports more than 25 countries. Since 2006, USAID has successfully funded the delivery of more than 1.4 billion treatments to approximately 687 million individuals across the world.
Despite such success, President Obama has proposed cuts for USAID’s NTD Program funding in his FY17 budget. I, along with the END7 community, ask you to urge your representative and senators to support $125 million in funding for USAID’s NTD Program. This funding, which comprises just 0.003 percent of the entire Federal budget, will help to end the needless suffering and cyclical poverty that these diseases cause.
Our country truly has a chance to positively impact the lives of billions of people, but to do so, we must urge our political leaders to make the funding of NTD treatment and prevention programs a priority. Please take action today by writing to your representative or senators and urging them to support this vital funding to fight NTDs.
Tayler McCord is a clinical laboratory science senior and one of the founding members of the END7 MSU chapter and currently holds a position as secretary.
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