Neglected Tropical Disease

Published on 13 Feb 2025

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) are a diverse group of infections that are most common among marginalized communities in the tropical regions. Globally, more than 1.4 billion people in 149 countries are affected by these diseases. India has the largest burden of at least 10 of the major NTDs like the dengue, hookworm, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, visceral leishmaniasis, rabies etc.

Concerns associated with Neglected Tropical Diseases

✔ Limited funding: Since the disease largely affects poor nations, there is little global effort to fund research to address the disease.

● Example: Europe and North America have very little exposure towards the disease, which reduces the efforts at curbing these diseases.

✔ Underreporting of diseases: The marginal communities have less access to public health facilities and hence many of these diseases get undiagnosed leading to under reporting.

● Example: The poor people of Sub Saharan Africa are highly vulnerable to these diseases. These regions also represent low reporting of disease due to poor health care penetration and poor health awareness.

✔ Lack of access to treatment: Limited availability of affordable and effective medications can prevent individuals from accessing affordable treatment.

✔ Sustainability of control programmes: Long term success in controlling and eliminating NTDs is difficult due to intermittent health emergencies and associated resource diversion.

✔ Impact on human resource and economic development: The poor nations, vulnerable to NTD are pushed further back on socio - economic progress, leading to increased inequality.

● Example: In 2020, there was a 7% fall in public funding for neglected tropical diseases due to pandemic. (NCBI data)

Indian initiatives to address Neglected Tropical Disease

✔ Accelerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis: Launched in 2018, to intensify efforts towards the elimination of the disease.

✔ National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme: A comprehensive programme for the prevention and control of diseases like Malaria, Filaria, Kala-azar, Japanese Encephalitis etc.

✔ National Leprosy Eradication Programme: The initiative aided in reducing the number of cases to less than 1 per 10000.

✔ Mass drug administration: Preventive drugs and medicines are provided free of cost to endemic areas which are at risk.

✔ Vector control measures: Indoor residual spraying rounds are undertaken in endemic areas to prevent sand fly breeding.

Global efforts to address Neglected Tropical Disease

✔ International Funding: At the UN Climate Change Conference COP 28, global partners agreed to contribute $777 million to combat neglected tropical disease.

✔ NTD Roadmap: WHO has published the roadmap to prevent, control and eliminate these diseases by 2030.

✔ Global Report on Neglected Tropical Disease: To give an overview of the prevalence of the disease, and highlighting the need to focus on NTD related research,

✔ Partnership for Parasite Control: A collaboration between pharmaceutical companies, non-profit organizations and academic institutions for developing and distributing medicines for the treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Thus, the world has acknowledged the need to focus more on neglected tropical diseases. India, being a victim of the disease should encourage more research spending and as the leader of the third world, shall campaign for more recognition and global funding for addressing this threat.