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Review
. 2021 Jan 4;10(1):2.
doi: 10.1186/s40249-020-00790-4.

Efforts to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: potential entry points for neglected tropical diseases

John P Ehrenberg  1   2 , Jürg Utzinger  3   4 , Gilberto Fontes  5 , Eliana Maria Mauricio da Rocha  5 , Nieves Ehrenberg  6 , Xiao-Nong Zhou  7   8 , Peter Steinmann  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Efforts to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: potential entry points for neglected tropical diseases

John P Ehrenberg et al. Infect Dis Poverty. .

Abstract

Background: The damage inflicted by the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic upon humanity is and will continue to be considerable. Unprecedented progress made in global health over the past 20 years has reverted and economic growth has already evaporated, giving rise to a global recession, the likes of which we may not have experienced since the Second World War. Our aim is to draw the attention of the neglected tropical disease (NTD) community towards some of the major emerging economic opportunities which are quickly appearing on the horizon as a result of COVID-19.

Main text: This scoping review relied on a literature search comprised of a sample of articles, statements, and press releases on initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19, while supporting economic recovery. Of note, the donor scenario and economic development agendas are highly dynamic and expected to change rapidly as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, as are donor and lender priorities.

Conclusions: The NTD community, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), will need to work quickly, diligently, and in close collaboration with decision-makers and key stakeholders, across sectors at national and international level to secure its position. Doing so might enhance the odds of grasping potential opportunities to access some of the massive resources that are now available in the form of contributions from corporate foundations, trust funds, loans, debt relieve schemes, and other financial mechanisms, as part of the ongoing and future economic development agendas and public health priorities driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper should serve as a starting point for the NTD community to seek much needed financial support in order to sustain and revitalize control and elimination efforts pertaining to NTDs in LMICs.

Keywords: COVID-19; Economic recovery; Neglected tropical diseases; Scoping review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Examples of donors, pledges, and financial mechanisms to address the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery in USD billion
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
World Bank Fast Track Package COVID-19 response per region. Thus far, USD 1.5 billion have been earmarked [27]
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
COVID-19 Global EU response per region. Current allocation of EUR 5.55 billion per region so far [31]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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