What do you think of when you hear about "neglected tropical diseases," or NTDs?

Malaria, dengue, and yellow fever probably come to mind — but there are actually 20 infections and conditions under the umbrella of neglected tropical diseases. NTDs, which primarily affect people living in poverty, impact more than 1 billion people worldwide and are still prevalent in various developing countries.

Over the last 50 years, the work carried out by the international community has resulted in tremendous strides in making these debilitating conditions a thing of the past. For example, Guinea worm disease — which former US President Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center have worked to eradicate since 1986 — dropped to just 14 cases in 2021. But there is still much work to be done.

Ending NTDs is not some utopian fantasy; it’s a tangible vision of the future that we can work toward every day. The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined an ambitious roadmap to tackle these diseases by 2030, but carrying it out requires countries, partners, and Global Citizens to demonstrate strong political will.

Here's why — and how — NTDs can become a thing of the past.

How Do We Achieve This?

The WHO’s roadmap toward the elimination and eradication of NTDs serves as a guiding document for world leaders, nonprofit organizations, disease experts, and other stakeholders to work together through action across sectors. Some of the goals outlined in this roadmap include a 90% reduction in the number of people requiring treatment for NTDs, eliminating NTDs in at least 100 countries, and the full eradication of two diseases.

The plan also identifies “cross-cutting” targets, such as better access to water, hygiene, and nutrition. Because the occurrence of NTDs can spread through contaminated soil or insects that thrive in unsanitary environments, improved sanitation could reduce as much as 78% of cases around the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Each target is measurable and quantifiable, with additional intermediary milestones in 2023 and 2025 to ensure that all parties are kept accountable.

The Kigali Declaration, set to be fully adopted during World NTD Week, takes this aspect one step further. It specifically calls on the public and private sector to work together to supplement these efforts, highlighting the need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders involved and renewed funding. In other words, governments and donors must make the commitment to eliminate NTDs a high priority.

However, because COVID-19 has severely disrupted access to health care services and programs, strengthening fragile health systems equipped to deal with seemingly competing health threats has been challenging. Addressing this and building resilience will be crucial in ensuring that the pandemic does not result in a resurgence of diseases, putting more people at risk of harm.

Read the full article about neglected tropical diseases by Sarah El Gharib at Global Citizen.