Activities of the DNTDs

DNTDs at the joint conference of the German Society for Parasitology, the British Society for Parasitology and the Swiss Society of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology

Würzburg, March 13, 2025 - In the session Neglected Parasites and One Health at the joint conference of the German Society of Parasitology, the British Society for Parasitology and the Swiss Society for Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Prof. Dr. Achim Hörauf, spokesperson of the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) and Director of the Institute of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology at the University Hospital Bonn, warned of the difficult financial situation in this field of research.

“The next few years will be decisive in determining whether the successes in the fight against NTDs can be continued and possibly some of the diseases eliminated, or whether the work of many years will be undone. The big challenge is the funding freeze by the US agency USAID, but also the German government's announcement to cut funding for development cooperation. This does not bode well,’ said Hörauf in his presentation.

Conference President Prof. Dr. Markus Engstler, member of the DNTDs, regretted in his opening speech that some colleagues from the USA were unable to attend due to current developments. He underlined the importance of international cooperation and emphasized that conferences such as this one contribute significantly to strengthening scientific excellence in Europe.

In the NTD session, Prof. Hörauf also referred to the important work and cooperation of the international NTD networks, briefly presenting the work of the Swiss Alliance against NTDs and the UK Coalition against NTDs.

World Day against Neglected Tropical Diseases 2025

Berlin, 30 January 2025 - On the occasion of the World Day against Neglected Tropical Diseases, in the last session week of the German Bundestag, Dr. Georg Kippels MdB, spokesperson of the Parliamentary Advisory Council against Neglected Tropical Diseases and longest-serving member of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, emphasized the commitment of members of parliament in the fight against these diseases. He particularly emphasized the long-standing support of Prof. Dr. Andrew Ullmann and Prof. Dr. Helge Braun.

The fireside chat of the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases focused on two important anniversaries: the 200th birthday of Theodor Bilharz and the 125th anniversary of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg.

Prof. Dr. August Stich, Chief Physician for Clinical Infectiology at the University Hospital of Würzburg, traced a historical arc from the first contact between European explorers and indigenous peoples in the 16th century to colonialism and the perception of tropical diseases as a threat that had to be combated - particularly with regard to the economic exploitation of the colonies. He addressed key players such as Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch as well as the role of tropical doctors then and now.

He referred to the long-term consequences of colonialism, including climate change caused by the global North. Critically, he stated: “There is still a bit of racism hidden within us” and called for an honest acknowledgement of this responsibility as well as concrete measures to make amends - including in the field of tropical medicine.

He shed light on the history of tropical medicine and critically questioned the strategies for combating neglected tropical diseases. He also addressed the role of science and the Christian mission, particularly in the context of African sleeping sickness and schistosomiasis.

In view of current political challenges in Germany, in particular the increasing isolation towards migrants, he concluded with an African proverb: “I am because you are, and so that we are, I am.”

Prof. Dr. Jürgen May, Chairman of the Board of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) and Honorary Chairman of the DNTD, addressed the current debate surrounding the institute's namesake, Bernhard Nocht (1857-1945). Accusations that Nocht was a racist or National Socialist were critically analyzed. In 2022, the Institute commissioned the Research Center for Contemporary History in Hamburg to produce an expert report. At the same time, a biography on Hamburg's (post)colonial heritage was written. Both works are currently being discussed and a possible renaming of the institute is being debated.

Dr. Gisela Schneider, Director of the German Institute for Medical Mission (Difäm) in Tübingen, reflected on the responsibility of the church in the colonial era and spoke about the need for all people to have an equal right to health. She emphasized that today's approaches are based on community empowerment and that civil society involvement has grown. She also addressed the current difficult situation in Goma/DR Congo and the lack of prospects for the civilian population there.

Dr. Julien Alban Nguinkal, bioinformatics statistician at the BNITM, presented the opportunities of artificial intelligence in research. He discussed how colonial research structures can be overcome and how data in countries of the Global South can be collected in real time and made available to researchers on site. Research results are often only published once the associated studies have been published, meaning that valuable findings are only available to local researchers after a delay. Artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, must be trained with data and not just fed with “Western” data from the global North. He emphasized the need to involve local stakeholders and health authorities and provide them with targeted training.

Dr. Sophie Schneitler, board member of the German Society for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and Global Health e.V. (DTG), presented a study for discussion on whether the term “tropical medicine” is still up to date. Researchers from the Global South and North were asked about this. The central message from the South was: “You are dealing with strange things, we are working on the current medical problems on the ground.” She pointed out that improving medical education was more important than the debate about the name of the specialty.

The event was moderated by Antonia Braus, deputy spokesperson of the DNTDs, consultant for One Health and scientific monitoring at Veterinarians Without Borders (ToGeV), and Dr. Dr. Carsten Köhler, Director of the Baden-Württemberg Competence Centre for Tropical Medicine at the Institute for Tropical Medicine at the Eberhard Karls University and the University Hospital of Tübingen. Dr. Köhler is also the 1st Chairman of the German Society for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and Global Health e.V. s

The conclusion of the event can be summarized as follows:

  1. research and training must be adapted to current global challenges. Medical training should focus more on neglected tropical diseases, particularly with regard to migration medicine.
  2. international partnership and capacity building are crucial for a sustainable fight against neglected tropical diseases. Local actors in the affected countries must be more closely involved and trained.
  3. Technological innovations such as artificial intelligence can help to decolonize research structures and make health data usable in real time.
  4. private sector initiatives are playing an increasing role in the development of new medicines and vaccines for affected regions.
  5. the debate on historical responsibility shows that the colonial past of tropical medicine must continue to be critically reflected upon. This applies not only to institutions such as the Bernhard Nocht Institute, but also to the entire research landscape.

A nexus that affects North and South

Berlin, 03.12.2024 - How closely climate change and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are linked was the topic of an expert discussion at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The event brought together experts from the BMZ, other relevant federal ministries, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs). The aim was to shed light on the pressing challenges at the interface between climate change and health - a topic that is also becoming increasingly relevant in view of the upcoming 30th Climate Change Conference in Belém.

Government and politics: commitment to NTDs

Dr. Georg Kippels, Member of the German Bundestag, emphasized that the German government has put the issue of combating NTDs back on the political agenda for over a decade, flanked by members of parliament who are committed to it on a cross-party basis. A key challenge lies in the detection and targeted diagnosis of NTDs - an area that is becoming even more complex due to the consequences of climate change and the overlap with other poverty-related diseases. Poorer sections of the population in Africa, Asia, America and increasingly in Europe are particularly affected.

Scientific perspectives: Data, research and local engagement

The contributions from the scientific community focused on the climate change-NTD nexus:

- Prof. Dr. Ina Danquah (University of Bonn, ZEF) emphasized the importance of valid data. Only by linking climate data, socio-economic data, health data and individual patient data could precise conclusions be drawn for the necessary adjustments to healthcare.

- Prof. Dr. Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit (University of Hamburg, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine) presented the current spread of insect-borne NTDs. He emphasized that there is no universal solution for the control of vectors and vector-borne diseases. In addition to researching the vectors, the involvement of local communities in affected hotspots is crucial, for example in order to successfully implement vaccination programs.

Interdisciplinarity as the key

Dr. Daniel Eibach (BMZ, Pandemic Prevention Division, One Health) emphasized that effective prevention and control of NTDs can only succeed through interdisciplinary approaches. Cross-sectoral cooperation plays a central role in developing sustainable and effective solutions.

Conclusion

The expert discussion made it clear that the nexus of climate change and NTDs has far-reaching consequences for global health - both in the Global South and increasingly in the North. The close integration of politics, science and the involvement of the local context/population are crucial in order to successfully meet these challenges.

DNTDs in the German Parliament - Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development

Berlin, 06.11.2024 - The German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) was invited to speak to the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development of the German Bundestag about strategies to combat neglected tropical diseases and their financing. Prof. Dr. Achim Hörauf, Director of the Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, gave an outline of the status quo and presented recommendations for action as an expert and spokesperson for the DNTDs. In particular, he addressed the strengthening and further development of NTD programs, the integration of NTD programs into other sectors, the improvement of access to drugs, the continuation of the promotion of drug development against NTDs and the promotion of innovative financing approaches for incentive systems for drug development and marketing of NTD programs.

You can find more information in the backgroundpaper

Photo: Dr. Christoph Hoffmann MdB, Deputy Chairman of the AWZ and Prof. Achim Hörauf

 

Neglected tropical diseases and climate change

Berlin, 14.10.2024 - Under the title “Battling Neglected Tropical Diseases in Times of Climate Change”, the workshop of the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases took place as part of the World Health Summit, with great interest from the expert audience present.

The speakers were: Dr. Jérôme Salomon | Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage, Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases, Dr. Bernadette Abela-Ridder | World Health Organization (WHO) | Department for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) | Team Leader, Eduardo Eugenio Bittencourt de Gomensoro | Takeda Vaccines | Global Medical & Scientific Affairs Lead | United States of America, Dr. Martin Barasa  | Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) | Lead Program | Kenya, Prof. Dr. Norbert Mencke | Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany | Member of The Supervisory Board | Germany, Dr. Claus Runge | Chief Health Equity Officer, Bayer Pharma.

Chairs of the workshop were: Prof. Dr. Achim Hörauf | University Hospital Bonn | Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology | Director of the Institute | Germany, Dr. Dr Carsten Köhler | University Hospital Tübingen | Center of Competence at Institute for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and Human Parasitology | Director of Center of Competence | Germany.

In his brief introduction, Dr. Jérôme Salomon, WHO, emphasized that it was high time to set the course for global health now, especially with regard to climate change, and took up the frequently used political motto: “Time to act is now”.

Dr. Bernadette Abela-Ridder, WHO, gave an overview of the link between climate change and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The rural population in low-income countries is particularly affected. She pointed out that the consequences of climate change are not new. What is new, however, is that they are now repeated so often that the elimination of NTDs must take place quickly. The data situation is not so good, but modeling shows that vector-borne transmissions are increasing. Snake and human habitats are coming more into contact due to flooding, but also due to droughts, e.g. at the ever decreasing number of water points. She pleaded for a consistent One Health approach for a sustainable fight against NTDs.

Eduardo Eugenio Bittencourt de Gomensoro, Takeda focused on the global threat of dengue in addition to the “Burden of Disease”, disease pattern and spread. Climate changes such as higher temperatures, more rainfall, floods and droughts are leading to changes in the distribution area and transmission times of NTDs. As a result, diseases such as dengue are increasingly occurring in regions such as the southern USA, southern Europe and parts of Africa. He emphasized that Takeda is aware of its social responsibility and is addressing this together with all partners in the healthcare sector in endemic and non-endemic countries in view of the increasing threat of dengue in order to be able to meet the growing demand in the future. In the course of the Q&A session, he referred to the cooperation with a manufacturer in India in order to be able to meet the demand in national vaccination programs by 2030.

Dr. Martin Barasa and Prof. Dr. Norbert Mencke, Veterinarians Without Borders, described the connection between climate change and NTDs, snakebites and Soil Transmitted Helminths. Dr. Martin Barasa explained that flooding is the main cause of snakebites in South Sudan. Snakes would move away from the water to higher areas with tall grass where people live. But drought would also cause the reptiles to seek out waterholes that are also frequented by people with their animals. Prof. Dr. Norbert Mencke highlighted the importance of WASH in combating Soil Transmitted Helminths and how worm infections can be reduced with access to clean drinking water: Floods and drought cause humans and animals to leave their traditional habitats. Prof. Dr. Norbert Mencke appealed once again to all those present that research and development are important, but useless if they do not reach the people who need them.

Dr. Claus Runge, Bayer, used the example of Chagas disease to explain how this infection is increasingly spreading to the countries of the global North. Migration is a key factor here, which is why screening initiatives are important. Bayer is working with DNDi, the Swiss Tropical Institute and Bonn University Hospital to develop a new drug against river blindness. However, drug development takes more than ten years.

Dr. Louise Kelly-Hope, University of Liverpool, also addressed the topic of migration. Climate change and crises are forcing affected people to migrate, even to areas where NTDs are endemic. Flooding was the main reason for this. She lamented the current lack of data. Even at country level, there is little data. The situation is even worse at regional level. However, this is important in order to obtain a more detailed and precise picture.

Finally, it was pointed out once again that development and research are important, but that it is important to act now and to better implement the existing drugs and antisera against snakebites.

The stream of the event is available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-AXHWVNuk