The UK Increases Funding to Combat Global Disease

This week, the British Department for International Development (DFID) announced that there will be a five-fold increase in federal funding towards battling preventable global diseases, which annually claim millions of lives within the poorest regions of the world.

As reported by the BBC News, the budget is said to receive an increase from $78 million to $380 million over the course of four years, between 2011 and 2015. Spending will specifically target neglected tropical disease, such as River Blindness and Elephantiasis, which are spread via parasitic infection. Both diseases–and others to be addressed–are proven to be treatable, and mostly affect those living in extreme poverty who lack preventative infrastructures and often forgo medical treatment for cost issues.

The commitment is surely an admirable one, and the sheer amount of coin being dedicated speaks to the fervor with which this issue is being tackled.

If spent wisely and managed properly, these funds have the power to change and better the lives of millions. Money alone will not solve the entirety of global health crises, but having this level of financial backing is certainly a place to start.