CNN: We must finish fight against diseases we’ve overlooked for too long
Mary Ann Peters, CEO of The Carter Center, and Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

“…To achieve [the goal of eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)], the world needs to focus on where it can do better. … National governments must prioritize building basic health facilities and providing clean water, roads, electrification, and education — the infrastructure that makes permanent progress against diseases possible. … Public and private funders, including country governments, also need to invest more in discovering and refining the tools needed to fight NTDs … Donors and affected countries must remain firmly committed to achieving a world without NTDs. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) are exemplars in this area. … Unwavering leadership from the U.S. and U.K. will be vital to reducing the burden of NTDs. … For too long, these diseases of the very poor lived on the periphery of our attention … That is beginning to change, and millions of children … now have the chance to lead healthy, productive lives. Let’s not stop until we’ve finished the job” (11/28).