30 January 2025 – On the occasion of World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day, Uniting to Combat NTDs is pleased to announce that Sudan, Vestergaard, and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP3) have officially endorsed the Kigali Declaration on NTDs, bringing the total number of signatories to 84. Launched at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and NTDs in 2022, on the sidelines of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Kigali Declaration is a high-level, political declaration that is mobilising political will, community commitment, resources and action, and securing commitments needed to end suffering caused by NTDs.
About the Kigali Declaration
The Kigali Declaration on NTDs reinforces a strong and collective commitment to achieve ambitious targets set by the WHO Road Map for NTDs, including the elimination of at least one NTD in 100 countries by 2030. The Declaration advocates for stronger partnerships, increased investment, and innovative solutions to ensure no one suffers from these preventable and treatable diseases.
New Signatories
With approximately 12 million people requiring interventions for at least one NTD, Sudan carries the tenth highest NTD burden on the African continent , and nearly 24% of its population is at risk. By endorsing the Kigali Declaration, Sudan renews its commitment to scale up interventions, strengthen surveillance, and bolster community engagement to improve the health and well-being of millions of people affected by NTDs.
As a global health company dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable populations, Vestergaard’s endorsement of the Kigali Declaration includes the formalization of its commitment to support sleeping sickness elimination efforts through continued donations of its innovative “Tiny Targets”—insecticide-treated fabric designed to control the tsetse fly that transmits the disease. Specifically, Vestergaard has pledged to donate up to 150,000 Tiny Targets every year, helping meet the WHO’s 2030 elimination target for sleeping sickness.
EDCTP3’s endorsement of the Kigali Declaration underscores its deep commitment to accelerating research and development for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). To date, EDCTP2 and Global Health EDCTP3 have invested about €146 million in this area. Building on this strong foundation, Global Health EDCTP3 is now making an additional €46 million available through a new call to support inclusive research and innovation on NTDs. By supporting the development of novel vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tools, EDCTP3 is helping to strengthen health systems and move the world closer to eliminating NTDs. Through its endorsement of the Kigali Declaration, EDCTP3 aligns its strategic goals with a broader global movement committed to bringing an end to these preventable and treatable diseases.
World NTD Day is a powerful reminder of what the global community can achieve when it unites behind a common cause. By adding Sudan, Vestergaard, and EDCTP3 to the ever-growing list of Kigali Declaration signatories, we reaffirm our collective will to end NTDs. We encourage more countries, organizations, and partners to join this movement, invest in high-impact solutions, and help secure a world free from the burden of NTDs. Click here for more information or to endorse the Kigali Declaration.
QUOTES
Amar Ali, CEO of Vestergaard, said: “Disease elimination can feel like a lofty aim, but for some NTDs like sleeping sickness, we’re really close. This success is due to strong partnerships, with multiple stakeholders working together to establish a fully integrated strategy of effective vector control, diagnosis and treatment – as well as essential cross-border support from countries for the implementation of these tools. It is a great demonstration of what can be achieved when the necessary interventions are made available and accessible when and where they are needed. We thank our TrypaNO! partners for their ongoing support, and Uniting to Combat NTDs for the opportunity to formalize our commitment to continue donating Tiny Targets as we work together to achieve the WHO elimination goals.”
Dr Michael Makanga, Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3, said: “I am pleased to sign Global Health EDCTP3’s endorsement of the Kigali Declaration today at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, where the NTD community is re-uniting in support of our shared goal to end NTDs. We will not waiver in our commitment to end this neglect. To date, EDCTP2 and Global Health EDCTP3 have invested about €146 million in this area, including commitments to grants under preparation. Additionally, I am delighted to announce that, as of today, Global Health EDCTP3 is making €46 million available through a call to support inclusive research and innovation on NTDs.”