Global health is facing a tipping point. Scientific advancements have changed how we respond to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria – and the pipeline of breakthrough innovations has never been stronger. But funding is down and priorities are shifting. Will the science come to scale so these diseases can finally be ended? Or will they surge instead?
On The Threshold, reporters from around the world cover this unfolding crisis from all sides—talking to scientists, politicians, civil society leaders, pharmaceutical executives, and others. The Threshold is a seven-part Foreign Policy podcast hosted by acclaimed broadcast journalist Henry Bonsu and made possible through funding in part from the Gates Foundation.
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Global health is facing a tipping point. Scientific advancements have changed how we respond to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria – and the pipeline of breakthrough innovations has never been stronger. But funding is down and priorities are shifting. Will the science come to scale so these diseases can finally be ended? Or will they surge instead?
On The Threshold, reporters from around the world cover this unfolding crisis from all sides—talking to scientists, politicians, civil society leaders, pharmaceutical executives, and others. The Threshold is a seven-part Foreign Policy podcast hosted by acclaimed broadcast journalist Henry Bonsu and made possible through funding in part from the Gates Foundation.
The Path Toward Eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases
The Threshold
32 minutes
1 month ago
The Path Toward Eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases
In our season finale of The Threshold, we delve into what it will take to end neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which impact about 1.5 billion people. The World Health Organization considers 21 diseases to be NTDs, a classification that marks a disease as underfunded and prioritized relative to its burden. What is encouraging is that a growing number of neglected tropical diseases are closer than ever to being eliminated.
Our episode begins with the personal story of Rehema, whose account was produced by Sharon Kiburi. Rehema’s path towards a diagnosis demonstrates much of what is challenging with neglected tropical diseases. NTDs are sometimes called “last mile” diseases because ending them is largely a matter of access: getting the right treatments and services to the most rural, disadvantaged populations on Earth.
Then, host Henry Bonsu speaks with Dr. Ngozi Erondu, the technical director of GLIDE, the Global Institute for Disease Elimination. She describes which diseases she thinks are most likely to be eliminated in the near future.
Finally, we interview Dr. Rebecca “Tshidi” Moeti, the recently retired former WHO regional director of Africa. She is a major champion of ending NTDs, including launching the Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases. In this conversation, she also reflects about her decades-long career and what she hopes for the future of global health.
Thank you for listening to our first season! We would love to hear your thoughts as well as suggestions for new episodes. Feel free to email us at podcasts@foreignpolicy.com.
The Threshold is made possible in part through funding from the Gates Foundation. Special thanks this episode to Naima Omondi, a family planning practitioner who got us in contact with Rehema.
Guests and organizations:
Dr. Rebecca “Tshidi” Moeti, former WHO regional director of Africa
Dr. Ngozi Erondu, the technical director of GLIDE, the Global Institute for Disease Elimination
The Threshold
Global health is facing a tipping point. Scientific advancements have changed how we respond to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria – and the pipeline of breakthrough innovations has never been stronger. But funding is down and priorities are shifting. Will the science come to scale so these diseases can finally be ended? Or will they surge instead?
On The Threshold, reporters from around the world cover this unfolding crisis from all sides—talking to scientists, politicians, civil society leaders, pharmaceutical executives, and others. The Threshold is a seven-part Foreign Policy podcast hosted by acclaimed broadcast journalist Henry Bonsu and made possible through funding in part from the Gates Foundation.
