Leveraging resources and the impact of neglected tropical disease elimination programmes: getting (much) more than what you pay for

Summary

Partnerships are key to eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Ascend was supported by a range of NGDO and government partners, each bringing different skills and resources including in-kind donations such as donated drugs and volunteer time.

Making full use of these resources meant that the programme delivered more for less, with greater reach, greater scale and faster progress towards elimination goals. When making resource allocation decisions, funding agencies need to consider the significant leverage their investment in NTD programmes can have as their investment delivers (much) more than what they pay for.

This article is part of a special supplement in International Health focusing on the Ascend neglected tropical disease programme in West and Central Africa. You can access the other articles in the supplement on the International Health website.