This was a question at the forefront of my mind as I attended the Houses of Parliament for an event co-hosted by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and the UK Coalition against NTDs. In a room filled with parliamentarians, global health leaders, persons with lived experience and civil society organisations, what better opportunity to reflect on exactly what we can achieve if we take collective action, expand our partnerships and centre integration as the pathway to achieving health for all and reducing the global impact of NTDs.
The evening began with a line-up of speakers including the Rt Hon Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister for International Development and Africa, as well as representatives from a range of other industry partners including Dr Borna Nyaoke-Anoke - Head of Mycetoma Disease at DNDi and Dr Belete Legesse - Head of Medicinal Chemistry at CDT-Africa. Whilst their backgrounds and expertise varied, the overarching message was clear - NTD prevention, diagnosis and care must be fully integrated into essential health services, supported by long-term funding for research, innovation and effective implementation.
The Minister for International Development and Africa emphasised that whilst the UK has an undeniable role in furthering research through facilitation and funding, as well as sharing expertise and best-practice, programmes must be country-owned and country-led in order to achieve the sustainable long-term change that really makes a difference'. Baroness Chapman also confirmed £3 million in new UK funding for operational research on NTDs, which includes investment in strengthening health systems for NTD service delivery.
Dr Daniel Ngamije Madandi, Director of Malaria and NTDs at the World Health Organization) highlighted the expansion of partnerships and collective action that prioritises both the global health agenda and national health systems. Expanding on these calls for collective action, Dr Borna emphasised the importance of centring women and girls, 'Every NTD intervention is a gender equity intervention, if we design new treatments and strategies with women and girls at the centre, we change whole communities'.
The event also presented a video featuring testimonies from persons affected by NTDs, highlighting the impact of the diseases on their mental health and social wellbeing, as well as the wider impact on their families and livelihoods. Dr Belete highlighted the importance of research funding provided by the UK, emphasising that ‘the dominant global research and development model relies on market-driven incentives, which rarely work for diseases with limited commercial return’. Closing the line-up of speakers, Dr Wendy Harrison, CEO of Unlimit Health emphasised the importance of integration. 'Integration isn't optional, it's the pathway to achieving health for all'.
Whether we are integrating voices, research funding or health services, it is clear that while we may go fast alone, we only go far when we go together.
As I listened to the hum of conversations in the room, the quiet tension of funding uncertainties, the flurry of email exchanges, and the moment three young finalists from an art competition encouraging children to support NTDs were introduced, I realised I was answering my own question in real time.
What truly strengthens our collective effort is the diversity we bring: the insights of people with lived experience, the energy and imagination of young advocates stepping forward through youth coalitions, and the deep expertise of researchers and programme managers who have dedicated years to this field.
At Lepra, we’re putting this into action by elevating lived‑experience leadership, engaging young advocates, and working hand‑in‑hand with partners and researchers. By bringing diverse voices together, we’re shaping more inclusive and effective responses to leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and related diseases. We’re proud of this direction, yet we know there’s still more to learn, improve and strengthen together.
Whilst our message is simple, we must act together. The challenges before us do not yield to simple answers alone, they demand equally nuanced, collaborative, and multifaceted solutions. Ultimately, it is only by standing together and drawing on all voices and knowledge that we achieve what no single person or organisation could accomplish alone.
Photography by Paula Plaza
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