Devex: Opinion: G20 leadership on tackling disease would save lives and money
Alan Donnelly, executive chairman of Sovereign Strategy; Willo Brock, senior vice president of external affairs for the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development; and Claire Wingfield, senior policy officer with the advocacy and public policy program at PATH

“The world’s most deadly poverty related neglected diseases, or PRNDs, afflict millions of people living in G20 countries — the ‘Group of 20’ largest economies brought together to advance international economic and financial cooperation. … In light of this, we can no longer think of these as diseases of the developing world. It is critical that the G20 countries recognize this fact, and do more to address the health needs of vulnerable groups within their borders. … Agreement on the need for urgent action among G20 leaders in July would help to ensure that we are better prepared to deal with future health crises. … We also need a commitment from G20 members to steadily increase investments in health R&D, and pool their public health and scientific resources. … There is no excuse for tolerating a world in which millions of people — many of them in wealthy countries — die from treatable diseases because of market failure and political neglect. … A coordinated effort by the G20 countries would help eliminate two-thirds of the global disease burden…” (4/27).