Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason her Department excluded leprosy from UK funding priorities for the neglected tropical diseases programmes.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID is a leading donor tackling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) globally through a range of NTD programmes, activities with the relevant part of WHO and research. DFID works to strengthen health systems, which helps countries to prevent and treat causes of ill health, including leprosy. DFID also funds civil society organisations such as Leprosy Mission England and Wales and LEPRA to diagnose, treat and support those afflicted with leprosy. DFID’s decision to focus on certain NTDs in existing programmes was based on analysis of disease burden, gaps, impact and cost effectiveness.
Our new ASCEND programme to tackle NTDs is being designed to be flexible and could include leprosy if activities can be delivered in an integrated way with focus diseases.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which Minister of her Department took the decision to exclude leprosy from the funding priorities for the neglected tropical diseases programmes.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID is a leading donor tackling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) globally through a range of NTD programmes, activities with the relevant part of WHO and research. DFID works to strengthen health systems, which helps countries to prevent and treat causes of ill health, including leprosy. DFID also funds civil society organisations such as Leprosy Mission England and Wales and LEPRA to diagnose, treat and support those afflicted with leprosy. DFID’s decision to focus on certain NTDs in existing programmes was based on analysis of disease burden, gaps, impact and cost effectiveness.
Our new ASCEND programme to tackle NTDs is being designed to be flexible and could include leprosy if activities can be delivered in an integrated way with focus diseases.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department's policy on combating neglected tropical diseases worldwide includes specific plans on combatting leprosy.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID is a leading donor tackling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) globally through a range of NTD programmes, activities with the relevant part of WHO and research. DFID works to strengthen health systems, which helps countries to prevent and treat causes of ill health, including leprosy. DFID also funds civil society organisations such as Leprosy Mission England and Wales and LEPRA to diagnose, treat and support those afflicted with leprosy. DFID’s decision to focus on certain NTDs in existing programmes was based on analysis of disease burden, gaps, impact and cost effectiveness.
Our new ASCEND programme to tackle NTDs is being designed to be flexible and could include leprosy if activities can be delivered in an integrated way with focus diseases.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials of her Department have had with experts on neglected tropical diseases on funding priorities for tackling leprosy.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID officials have regular discussions on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) with a range of partners, including experts both within the World Health Organisation and with officials of countries affected by NTDs. Ministers have engaged with experts internationally on tackling on NTDs, including, participation in the NTD Summit in April 2017.
As well as being the minister with responsibility for global health in DFID, I am also a minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department holds regular meetings with Governments of nations affected by leprosy.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID officials have regular discussions on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) with a range of partners, including experts both within the World Health Organisation and with officials of countries affected by NTDs. Ministers have engaged with experts internationally on tackling on NTDs, including, participation in the NTD Summit in April 2017.
As well as being the minister with responsibility for global health in DFID, I am also a minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department makes available for leprosy with reference to (a) education, (b) medicines and (c) social programmes.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID provided £1,127,646 between 2015 and 2018 to the Leprosy Mission England and Wales to improve the livelihoods and food security of poor people in Mozambique, including people affected by leprosy.
DFID has also committed up to £570,915 between 2016 and 2019 to LEPRA, for work in rural Bangladesh. This project provices early detection services and improved access to quality health services for people who are at risk of contracting leprosy or lymphatic filariasis.
DFID also provides funding for the World Health Organisation’s work on NTDs, and more generally supports the strengthening of health systems, helping to ensure that countries are better able to detect and treat all causes of ill health, including leprosy.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department defines leprosy as a neglected tropical disease.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease, as defined by the World Health Organisation. DFID supports progress towards the WHO 2020 targets on leprosy through our funding to civil society organisations such as Leprosy Mission England and Wales and LEPRA and to the WHO’s NTD programme. In addition, DFID supports the strengthening of health systems, helping to ensure that countries are better able to detect and treat all causes of ill health, including leprosy.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions Ministers of her Department have had with ministerial counterparts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the UK's response to combating leprosy worldwide.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID officials have regular discussions on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) with a range of partners, including experts both within the World Health Organisation and with officials of countries affected by NTDs. Ministers have engaged with experts internationally on tackling on NTDs, including, participation in the NTD Summit in April 2017.
As well as being the minister with responsibility for global health in DFID, I am also a minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Asked by: Fiona Onasanya (Independent - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to achieve the World Health Organisation's 2020 target on leprosy.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease, as defined by the World Health Organisation. DFID supports progress towards the WHO 2020 targets on leprosy through our funding to civil society organisations such as Leprosy Mission England and Wales and LEPRA and to the WHO’s NTD programme. In addition, DFID supports the strengthening of health systems, helping to ensure that countries are better able to detect and treat all causes of ill health, including leprosy.