World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day 2024

The WHO office at the UN in collaboration with the END Fund and Reaching the Last Mile, organized an exhibition, “Reframing Neglect” on display at the UN HQ Visitor’s Lobby from 19 January to 16 February 2024, to commemorate World NTD Day 2024. The exhibition is a collection of works of photographers from six countries across Africa where Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are prevalent and aims, creatively, to raise awareness and engage policymakers across the UN system and its stakeholders, as well as the public on NTDs and challenges that perpetuate the diseases. UN system partners, including the UN Member States of the Group of Friends on NTDs, as well as civil society and the private sector joined the co-hosts on 30 January 2024 at an  opening reception and a private screening of a documentary “The Fly Collectors” filmed in Senegal about the efforts of a group of men working towards freeing the communities near the Gambia River from River blindness. Mr Stewart Simonson, WHO Representative to the UN, highlighted the significance of the day as well as the crucial role of public-private philanthropic partnership in combating NTDs. He called on all stakeholders to Unite and to Act to Eliminate these diseases that affect the poorest of the poor.