1. About This Tool Kit
The global toll of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases—HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria—is massive. About 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Nine million people develop TB each year, and one-third of the planet is infected with the microbe that causes TB. There are 350 to 500 million malaria cases each year. Collectively, these three diseases are responsible for about 6 million deaths annually.
In addition, every year, about 1 billion people in low-income countries in tropical and subtropical regions around the world are affected by other infectious diseases that receive so little attention that the medical community refers to them as “neglected tropical diseases.”
Yet our government’s efforts to develop medical interventions to address these global health crises have been underfunded for the past several years.
New medical interventions will save lives, prevent disease, and make our foreign aid more effective.
This Tool Kit explains what can be done to make progress in global health. It is organized into 8 parts that are designed to give you:
- Background information on the need for global health research ,
- An overview of U.S. global health research funding, and
- An explanation of how much funding is needed to make progress in the fight against global infectious diseases.
Part 2: What Is Global Health Research?
Defines global health and explains why additional funding is needed for research to develop new medical interventions.
Part 3: The Global Impact of Infectious Diseases
Provides information on HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). It also outlines the status of currently available treatments and preventives.
Part 4: Why Global Health Matters to the U.S.
Discusses why global health should be a priority for the United States.
Part 5: Making Progress: Research Matters
Outlines why research is essential if we are to make progress in addressing global health crises, as well as why the government needs to take a leading role in funding research.
Part 6: U.S. Research Funding
Provides an overview of how medical products are developed, how the U.S. government funds global health research and development (R&D), and the recent decline in R&D funding. This section also provides data on the amount of NIH funding by state, showing that the flow of NIH funds to colleges, universities, and other research organizations across the U.S. bolsters local economies.
Part 7: Funding Medical Research: What’s Needed?
Explains what level of funding is needed to make real progress and outlines a plan of action for achieving those funding goals.
Part 8: Additional Resources
Provides an extensive list of additional resources, including information on relevant advocacy organizations; public-private partnerships; U.S. agencies and intergovernmental organizations; direct service organizations; foundations; as well as films, television series, and related Web resources.
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