The World Health Organization's Global NTD Programme has launched a Global Oversight Committee. This Global Oversight Committee will address longstanding challenges in the donation and supply chain management of medicines for treatment of NTDs and will play a crucial role in coordinating efforts and improving the efficiency of drug distribution to those in need.
"This Committee exemplifies WHO's commitment to strengthening leadership of global efforts and enhancing the effectiveness of NTD interventions," said Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director, WHO Global NTD Programme.
The Committee has been launched at the same time as a complementary project – the Supply Chain Technical Support Mechanism – a 5-year project implemented by JSI (John Snow, Inc.) that aims to fortify NTD supply chains in Africa, particularly in eight priority countries. By aligning with industry best practices, this mechanism will not only enhance the delivery of preventive chemotherapy medicines but also significantly reduce wastage, ensuring timely availability for mass drug administration campaigns.
Established through close collaboration between WHO, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, GSK, Eisai, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, these landmark initiatives mark a significant step forward in the global fight against NTDs.
Donations of medicines for treatment of NTDs represent one of the largest public health initiatives globally. Between 2011 and 2023, over 27.7 billion tablets and vials of medicines have been delivered to countries for the implementation of NTD treatment interventions such as mass drug administration and case management, through different donation mechanisms. In 2023 alone, approximately 2.1 billion tablets and vials were delivered, of which over 994 million were managed by WHO and made available to 112 Member States free of charge.