Global health leaders, policymakers, and advocates gathered at The Royal Society of Edinburgh to mark World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day, reaffirming their commitment to tackling diseases that impact over 1.5 billion people worldwide.
Hosted in partnership with Uniting to Combat NTDs, TIBA (Tackling Infectious Diseases for the Betterment of Africa), the University of Edinburgh, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the event highlighted the impact and importance of continued action to eliminate these preventable diseases.
At the heart of the gathering was a ground-breaking exhibition featuring powerful portraits by world-renowned humanitarian Marcus Perkins and compelling films by Dr. Barry Gibb. These works, originally created at a major event led by the TIBA Partnership, showcased the lived experiences of people affected by NTDs in Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Their voices, amplified through photography and film, carried a powerful message—one of resilience, urgency, and a demand for change.
From left for right: Sam Vice President, Global Strategic Partnerships the END Fund, Professor Mark Woolhouse TIBA Director, Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall – Director Global WHO NTD program, Dr. Michael Makanga, Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3, Professor Francisca Deputy Director TIBA, Vice Chair Uniting to Combat NTDs, Head of Group, (Global Health Infection and Immunity) at the University of Edinburgh, Dr Isatou Touray, Executive Director of Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases and former Vice President of The Gambia, Sheikh Khalid Al Qasimi, Deputy Head of Mission at the UAE Embassy to the UK, Sir John Ball Royal Society of Edinburgh President, Dr. Solomon Zewdu Chief Executive Officer the END fund, The Lord Trees.
A Night of Powerful Testimonies and High-Level Commitments
High-profile dignitaries, leading scientists, and representatives from global health organizations toured the moving exhibition before heading into an engaging plenary session.
Dr. Ibrahima Soce Fall, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) NTD Programme, underscored the exhibition’s role in shaping national policies:
“The exhibition here is focusing on affected voices—people who are living with NTDs. The people whose photographs and stories are being shared here tonight have all contributed to a national roadmap to improve the health services and the care they need. Today, I’m delighted to launch this policy brief that has been co-developed by TIBA and the affected voices in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Sudan. This is already informing the development of NTD morbidity management in countries such as Tanzania. Let us all come together to ensure more countries engage in developing the guidelines and tools we need—engaging both affected communities and decision-makers—for stronger country ownership and sustainability.”
Echoing this call to action, Sheikh Khalid Al Qasimi, Deputy Head of Mission at the UAE Embassy to the UK, celebrated recent breakthroughs in the fight against NTDs:
“Today, we can celebrate Niger becoming the first African country to eliminate river blindness—a historic achievement and a beacon of hope for all of us. This would not have been possible without the dedication of everyone here today, as well as countless others around the world. This victory is proof that when we act together, we can create real change.”
The momentum continued as Dr. Touray reflected on recent successes, including Guinea’s elimination of Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or’ sleeping sickness’, making it the 55th country to defeat an NTD. She also highlighted the endorsement of the Kigali Declaration by the government of Sudan, global health company Vestergaard as well as European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) 3, marking major strides in mobilizing political and financial commitments to combat NTDs.
Unwavering Support for Research and Innovation
The event’s powerful conclusion came with a major commitment: Dr. Michael Makanga, Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3, signed the Kigali Declaration, reinforcing the urgent need for sustained investment in NTD research and treatment.
“Our neglected tropical diseases grants have proven to be some of the most resilient and impactful investments. This sustained support has led to improved treatments for leishmaniasis, soil-transmitted helminths, sleeping sickness, leprosy, river blindness, and schistosomiasis, while also supporting the development and retention of African research leaders. Yet, despite these advances, research on neglected tropical diseases remains grossly underfunded. We will not waver in our commitment to end this neglect. I am therefore delighted to announce that Global Health EDCTP3 is making available €46 million through a call for proposals, launched today, to support inclusive research and innovation projects focused on accelerating the development of vaccines against NTDs.”
Dr Isatou Touray, Executive Director of Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases and Dr. Michael Makanga, Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3 with the signed Kigali Declaration.
Professor Mark Woolhouse, Director of TIBA, applauded this commitment, while emphasizing the power of affected voices in driving action:
“Affected voices are at the centre of this evening. They bring something invaluable to the table—real, lived experience. These are ordinary people from Sudan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe whose lives have been deeply affected by NTDs. But when we say we’ve brought them to the table, we mean more than just this event. TIBA, alongside our great partners at Uniting, has ensured that their voices are heard by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Rwanda, by African Union Heads of State, and even at COP28 in Dubai. Their testimonies make the NTD crisis real, urgent, and impossible to ignore. But they also speak of hope. We owe them a great debt.”
A Night of Reflection and Renewed Commitment
The evening concluded with a dinner reception, where attendees took time to reflect on the deeply moving testimonies shared through the exhibition. Stories of resilience, stigma, and hope—like Emilia Machinga’s battle with schistosomiasis and Silvanus William’s struggle with intestinal schistosomiasis—brought home the human toll of NTDs and the urgent need for universal access to treatment, increased health financing, and better education.
Speaking after the event, Dr. Touray reaffirmed the collective responsibility to end NTDs once and for all:
“Eliminating NTDs is not just about health—it’s about dignity, equity, and opportunity. The voices we heard tonight remind us that progress is possible, but only if we work together to sustain funding, political commitment, and innovation. With unity and action, we can achieve elimination in our lifetime.”
A Call to Action: No More Neglect
The World NTD Day 2025 commemoration in Edinburgh successfully brought together global and local stakeholders, united in a shared mission to eliminate NTDs. The message from the evening was clear:
