Uniting to Combat NTDs welcomes the World Health Organization’s communiqué on climate change, NTDs and malaria

Incredible progress has been made in the field of elimination of NTDs, including 50 countries having eliminated at least one NTD. Yet climate change threatens to undo these achievements and hard-fought gains, making it harder to control and eliminate NTDs, and limiting the capacity of health services to effectively respond to disease.

We fully support WHO’s call to safeguard global health gains in a rapidly evolving climate landscape, and we welcome further research engaging with affected communities. Integrating climate resilience into health systems is critical, and we must mobilise now to protect and build upon our hard-won victories in health for everyone, everywhere.

We look forward to working together to make sure the health impacts of climate change are visible to decision-makers in order to unlock vital action and funding, starting with the Reaching the Last Mile Forum on December 3rd, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on COP28’s dedicated Health Day.