Berlin. June 14, 2018 – Amidst a ceremony, members of the German parliament initiated an advisory council to combat neglected tropical diseases and strengthen health systems. Heike Baehrens MP is one of the ten parliamentary delegates who founded the council, and sits as vice council chair. She emphasized that the parliamentarians were committed to supporting the initiatives by the German Network Against Neglected Tropical Diseases DNTDs. Her colleague, Dr. Georg Kippels MP, heads the council. “All representatives gathered here today are well aware of the importance of joining efforts to battle the most prevalent infectious diseases. Worldwide, 1.5 billion people are affected. They mostly belong to the poorest of the poor and lack sufficient access to food, water or health services. Alongside the DNTDs, we want to give these people a voice here in Germany”, he said.
