House of Commons · Westminster Hall
09 January 2024 · 8 other contributors · 13,191 words
Opened by Patrick Grady SNP Glasgow North
Responding minister: Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Patrick Grady raised concerns about malaria and neglected tropical diseases in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The MP asks the Government to commit to multi-year funding for research and development in these areas, particularly for product development partnerships. He also requests a clear strategy on how the UK will meet its commitments for multilateral initiatives like the Global Fund, Gavi, and Unitaid, and urges the Minister to provide assurance that 0.7% of ODA will return soon.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The MP is concerned about the impact of neglected tropical diseases on nearly one in five people globally, particularly affecting the poorest communities. He cited specific examples such as noma, hookworm, and schistosomiasis, highlighting that these diseases can cause immense suffering, disability, disfigurement, and death. The MP noted that 1.7 billion people are affected by NTDs worldwide, with malaria alone causing around 608,000 deaths annually.
She highlighted the critical point in tackling malaria and neglected tropical diseases due to the pandemic, conflicts, flooding, famine, rising biological threats, decline in tool effectiveness, funding gap, resource constraints, and disruptions to health systems. She noted a 5 million increase in malaria infections from 2021 to 2022, with 16 million more cases compared to 2019. Catherine West emphasised the disproportionate impact on women and girls due to various factors such as limited financial resources, time constraints, diminished autonomy, stigma and discrimination. She also mentioned the elimination of trachoma in Malawi. What assessment has she made of the possibility of promoting more African leadership in manufacturing? Developing really good partnerships may require investment at the beginning, but it could be a very effective way to work. How do we strengthen in-country leadership in Africa while avoiding a top-down approach?
Chris Law highlighted the moral failure of one child dying every minute from preventable diseases, stressing that malaria and neglected tropical diseases are curable but lack political will and funding. He pointed out a 60 million increase in malaria cases since 2019 and over 1.65 billion people requiring treatment for at least one NTD. Law criticized the UK Government's reduction of overseas development aid from 0.7% to 0.5%, resulting in significant cutbacks in programmes such as ASCEND, which stopped millions of treatments and surgeries. He also questioned the recent £1 billion pledge by the UK Government for the Global Fund, noting it was below previous commitments and lacking meaningful impact.
He congratulated the hon. Member on securing the debate, emphasising that despite one in five people globally being affected by these diseases, many are preventable with early intervention. He agreed that greater availability of clean drinking water, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, could be a straightforward partial solution to the issue of neglected tropical diseases.
As the vice-chair of the all-party group on malaria and neglected tropical diseases, he supports maintaining consistent funding for life and death issues such as malaria and NTDs despite the overall reduction in overseas aid from 0.7% to 0.5%. The Foreign Office should focus on keeping this funding level stable. I agree with the shadow Minister's views on the way forward for tackling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Malawi. I advocate for the publication of league tables to empower African nations by giving them responsibility for particular NTDs, and welcome the addition of noma to the list of approved diseases that the WHO is investing in.
He commended the hon. Gentleman and highlighted a television advertisement showing how a small cost of £11 can provide a surgical operation to stop eyesight loss, advocating for long-term health gains through early action. Jim Shannon highlighted the rise in malaria cases globally despite a decrease in travel intensity, citing reports of mosquitoes not previously seen in southern England. He noted that Africa accounts for most global malaria cases and mentioned provisional UK case numbers showing an increase in 2023 compared to pre-COVID years. Shannon emphasized the need to address climate change collectively across political boundaries and stressed the importance of reinstating foreign aid, specifically supporting the 0.7% target. He also advocated for investment in malaria research and availability of cheap medication. I and others mentioned the important role that church and charity groups play and the significant voluntary contribution they make. How can the Minister's Department work alongside them to encourage them and align partnerships so that things can go better? The Minister is right to acknowledge the good work that has been done in Malawi. There are 94 churches in my constituency, and I know of only one that is not doing some work in Africa. In particular, the Elim church and the Church Mission Society do work in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Swaziland.
The MP supports the debate's focus on malaria and NTDs, emphasizing the importance of addressing these diseases for achieving the SDGs. He highlights the impact of these diseases on women and children in particular.
He thanked the hon. Member for Glasgow North and pointed out that climate change has had an alarming impact on malaria and neglected tropical diseases, noting locally acquired cases of malaria in the US and a UK Health Security Agency report predicting dengue fever transmission in London by 2060. In response to Gregory Campbell's intervention, he reiterated his concern that preventing and treating malaria and NTDs is within our grasp but progress is stalling due to UK aid funding gaps, the climate crisis, conflict, and humanitarian crises. Our battle against malaria and NTDs is a global fight that transcends national boundaries, demanding worldwide unity. It reflects our collective humanity and defines the legacy we leave for future generations. I thank my hon. Friend for her leadership as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on malaria and neglected tropical diseases, and express gratitude to Martha Varney of Malaria No More for their leadership in organising a visit to Malawi. Insights gained from partners such as the Wellcome Trust have deepened understanding of the challenges faced by malaria, which is described as a relentless barrier to development, hindering educational progress, disproportionately impacting women and girls, and perpetuating cycles of poverty.
She highlighted that work through the UK aid budget and international development also impacts UK citizens and the UK's reputation, urging not to lose sight of this aspect. Ms Morton highlighted the UK's achievements in combating malaria and neglected tropical diseases, including distributing mosquito nets and providing preventive treatment. She also pointed out that 95% of malaria deaths occur in Africa and raised concerns about the misuse of mosquito nets for fishing when provided free or subsidized. She urged the inclusion of education on proper net usage to prevent wasting resources and endangering lives. Ms Morton also praised UK organisations like the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and expressed hope for continued prioritisation of these issues by the Government.
Government Response
Anne-Marie TrevelyanI apologise for my cough and thank the hon. Member Patrick Grady for securing the debate, acknowledging the contributions of all Members present. The Minister of State for Global Health, my right hon. Friend Mr Mitchell, is unavailable but I will respond on behalf of the Government due to my previous work in this area. The UK's focus on climate change and its impacts on global health were highlighted by colleagues. With COP focusing on climate change impact and World Neglected Tropical Disease Day approaching, we recognise the importance of addressing these issues. The covid pandemic has hindered progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but efforts continue to get back on track. Malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) disproportionately affect families and people in countries with poor health systems. Malaria kills one child every minute, while NTDs impact over a billion people, primarily the poorest and most marginalised. The Government's White Paper aims to end extreme poverty and combat climate change by focusing on targets for ending malaria and NTD epidemics. The UK remains committed to eradicating preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and children under five, which cannot be achieved without a focus on malaria. We have provided over £4.5 billion to the Global Fund since its inception, contributing £1 billion towards the seventh replenishment. This funding supports 86 million mosquito nets and 450,000 seasonal malaria chemoprevention treatments. The UK has also supported scientific advancements through organisations like Medicines for Malaria Venture and Gavi, delivering vaccines to hard-to-reach areas. The RTS,S vaccine was developed with British expertise and is now being rolled out across Africa after successful trials in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. Colleagues noted the challenges posed by climate change to NTD progress. The UK's leadership in research and development includes funding for Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), which has developed 13 treatments for six deadly diseases, saving millions of lives. I mentioned the importance of fostering relationships between schools and communities to understand these health issues better. We will continue to seek health solutions while building robust health systems to address malaria and NTDs.