On 30th January, the World celebrates “World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day “an annual event
held to raise awareness and mobilize actions towards the elimination of neglected tropical diseases
(NTDs), a group of infectious diseases that primarily affect populations living in poverty.
Rwanda NGOs Forum joined other partners in celebrating World NTDs Day under the Global and
National Themes “Act Now. Act Together. Invest in Neglected Tropical Diseases” and “Act Together
by Investing in targeted WASH interventions responding to Neglected Tropical Diseases”;
Organized by the Ministry of Health under the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) in partnership with the
World Health Organization, RNGOF on HIV/AIDS and Health Promotion and other organizations.
The purpose of World Neglected Diseases Day is to raise awareness of the burden and effects that NTDs
have on vulnerable communities as well as to spotlight the efforts of various stakeholders in the control
and eradication of NTDs.
Eight neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are still widespread in Rwanda, affecting more than five million
people, and there are only seven years left to fulfill the global commitment to eradicate NTDs. The NTDs
Day provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the various NTDs and to call for more funding and
support for NTD control and elimination in Rwanda.
“Rwanda recently eliminated rHAT and Human Africa Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness);
There is still need of effective control together with countries ownership, multi-sector
collaboration and community engagement to eliminate all NTDs by 2030” Shared Dr. Aimable
Mbituyumuremeyi, The Malaria Division Manager at Rwanda Biomedical Center.
Despite improvements in the control of some NTDs, efforts to control and eradicate NTDs in Rwanda
have been ongoing for many years. In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, it is imperative
to increase access to prevention and treatment as well as address the underlying social and economic
causes of NTDs.
"Let us take an integrated approach to ending NTDs through community engagement and by
addressing them across multiple sectors such as education, nutrition, water, animal and
environmental health," expressed Dr. Albert Tuyishime, the Head of Prevention and control at
Rwanda Biomedical Center.
We are 100 Percent committed to beating Neglected Tropical Diseases.
