KEY TROPICAL DISEASES SUFFERING FUNDING NEGLECT

By Abel Abel Inis
Africa Correspondent, SAM Daily Times

Even a small increase in research and development(R&D) funding could vastly improve the diagnosis and treatment of three major neglected tropical diseases(NTDs) affecting the world's poorest regions, according to a report by the international humanitarian charity, Médecins Sans Frontières(MSF). But the political will from drug developers and policy makers to do so is lacking says the charity in a report published last month. 

'Fighting Neglect' charts 25 years of MSF experience in dealing with Kala-azar(Visceral Leishmaniasis), Sleeping sickness(African trypanosomiasis), and Chaga4 disease, in Latin America, South Asia and Sub-saharan Africa. 

Together, the three diseases-caused by a group to parasites called Kintoplastids and transmited by insect vectors-kill around 70,000 people every year and affect hundreds of thousands more. Disease hotspots exist in the world's poorest regions, often in rural areas and war-torn countries, including Bolivia, The Central African Republic, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India(particularly Bihar state), Paraguay and South Sudan. The report shows that with current tools, it is possible to diagnose and treat the majority of patients even in remote areas. 

But it is resource intensive as it requires skilled staff and intensive logistics. More sustainable funding sources are needed to improve the safety and ease of use of existing diagnostics and treatments, the report says, but also for the development of new ''desperately needed'' drugs and diagnostic tests. It is also cruicial that the number of drug suppliers increases. 

Currently almost all drugs rely on a single supplier, rendering supply vulnerable to the risk of a major shortage. It calls upon pharmaceutical companies to make open access innovation platforms available for all endemic countries, and upon donors to boost pharmaceutical R&D investment through prizes and similar innovative initiatives.