What are Neglected Tropical Diseases?

What are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)?
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of 21 different diseases and infections that can cause significant disfigurement, disability, and death.
Who do they affect?
They affect around 1.65 billion people around the world and tend to thrive in warm climates and in rural, poverty-stricken areas where access to clean water and healthcare is limited.
How long have NTDs existed?
NTDs have burdened humanity since the beginning of recorded history.
Why are NTDs considered to be neglected?
NTDs have earned their name for a reason - these diseases, the people, and the regions they afflict typically have been overlooked, receiving very little global attention and funding for research, prevention, and control efforts.
What causes NTDs?
NTDs can be transmitted by various microscopic parasites and bacteria that can spread through dirty water, soil, bites from insects like mosquitoes and sandflies, or close contact with other people.
What is it like to have an NTD?
NTDs wreak havoc on peoples’ lives and can cause immense suffering, chronic disability, disfigurement, and death.
How else do NTDs impact affected communities?
NTDs not only compromise physical health, but also undermine emotional well-being, educational pursuits, and economic stability. NTDs prevent people from working, increase healthcare spending for families and governments, and entrench affected communities in a cycle of poverty - costing affected countries billions of dollars every year.
What progress has been made fighting NTDs?
Despite limited funding, many countries have made significant progress controlling and treating NTDs. 50 countries have eliminated at least one NTD, meaning that those diseases no longer pose a threat to people living in those countries.
What are the targets for NTDs?
Disease-specific targets for 2030 and milestones for 2023 and 2025 were set for each of the 20 diseases and disease groups for eradication, elimination, elimination as a public health problem, and control.
What is needed to end NTDs?
To succeed, we need more global leaders to commit to ending NTDs and pledge crucial funding. Investing in new research is also key, developing more tools that align with community needs.
By working together, we can create a future where everyone, no matter where they live, can lead a healthy and happy life. Join the movement - let's #BeatNTDs! Join the #WorldNTDChallenge and help raise awareness of NTDs.
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