Judith Mariya
Published on December 4, 2023, 14:36:25
At the 2023 Reaching the Last Mile Forum held in conjunction with COP28, donors worldwide came together to provide a total of $777.2 million for the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The UAE made a sizable dedication of $100 million among these contributions.
This important conference took place on the first Health Day of COP28 and catalysed accelerating efforts toward the 2030 NTD roadmap as outlined by the World Health Organization.
Donors came together, accompanied by countries facing a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NTDs), to address these avoidable but deadly illnesses in the face of climate change. Our shared goal is still to enhance the livelihood of these 1.6 billion people who are affected by these diseases.
Reaching the Last Mile (RLM), a global health project supported by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's generosity, organized the pledge ceremony in association with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Reiterating its adherence to fighting NTDs globally, the UAE, the key founding partner of the fund, has dedicated $100 million to support its expansion.
Reaching the Last Mile, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and global partners, unveiled a significant expansion of the Reaching the Last Mile Fund (RLMF) from an initial $100 million to over $500 million. This substantial increase aims to extend the fund's scope from seven nations to 39, encompassing regions across Africa and Yemen. The ambitious objective is to eradicate two debilitating NTDs – lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis (commonly known as river blindness) – from the African continent.
This expanded funding initiative builds upon the trailblazing achievements of the RLMF, initiated in 2017 as a decade-long, multi-donor fund.
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