AR
UR
Neglected diseases, like malaria, polio, river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, have become even more neglected during pandemic. “But Covid-19 and its death toll has put in sharp relief the importance of global health and early surveillance systems to warn against new pathogens,” a top official has said.
In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Simon Bland, CEO of Abu Dhabi-based GLIDE (Global Institute of Disease Elimination), said: “So, has it (Covid-19) disrupted? Has it set back ambitions? Yes, it has. Has it derailed them completely? No, it hasn't. I think it would be fair to say neglected diseases have been more neglected, but not abandoned."
He added: “If the world has lost tens of trillions of dollars through the impact of Covid, then surely we ought to be able to make the case for tens of billions of dollars to build global systems that can eliminate and eradicate these diseases, build systems of surveillance for early warning, and build health systems that are more resilient."
Bland is the head of GLIDE since it was formally launched in November 2019. Supported by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GLIDE is the only regional organisation that works to eradicate preventable but neglected diseases, especially focusing on malaria, polio, river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis.
Bland noted GLIDE is part of UAE’s long-term vision of being in a crucial role in tackling, eliminating and eradicating diseases.
“If you think about Covid now, we have to think about global health. Global health is my health, and my health is your health. And if you ignore the health of people in Pakistan, if you ignore the health of people in Bali and Ghana and Malawi, you are ignoring your own health, and you are ignoring our collective health and lives,” said Bland.
Arguing further that Covid-19 and neglected diseases are “unequivocally linked,” Bland said a resilient global health system also enables an early warning system for pandemics. “So, it actually is good for the world because we develop those systems that allow us to sort of red flag the potential emergence of novel pathogens, viruses, bacteria, parasites, etc," he said.
“And, we are seeing an interplay between this new infectious disease and non- communicable diseases as people with underlying lifestyle conditions are far more vulnerable to contracting Covid. But it re-emphasises the point that if the world thinks it can turn its back on river blindness, if the world thinks it can turn its back on polio, the world thinks it can turn its back on malaria, because it doesn't affect us any more. It is short-sighted and it's wrong.”
Despite the challenges, Bland said GLIDE is pushing the eliminating neglected diseases agenda. “We are a small organisation... just two years old, and enjoys the patronage of the likes of His Highness Sheilh Mohamed bin Zayed and the Bill and Melinda Foundation.”
“There has been some real successes in the disease elimination field. But we have to keep up the fight. And we have to keep up the argument that these two things are connected,” said Bland.
He said the fact that Pakistan has managed to being polio cases to an all-time low last year and Yemen has eliminated lymphatic filariasis underlines that elimination of such diseases is “absolutely doable with patient perseverance.”
“I think we are close... just a few years off. But we must persist,” he said.
With sufficient funding and innovation, research and development and investment and new diagnostics and therapies, Bland said the neglected diseases can be eliminated from the world.
Source: Khaleej Times