By: Emma Apatu, MPH & Rebecca Miller, MPH
Over the past few years, policy changes in global health have shed new light on Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs). Formerly classified as “other communicable diseases”, NTDs have progressively experienced increased visibility on a global scale, which has in turn led to new and improved strategies—such as disease program integration [1]. Recent funding streams have provided much needed financial support to address the burden of these ”hidden” diseases found in impoverished and rural populations throughout the world. Although the amount of attention and resources allocated toward NTD programs has improved dramatically over the last five years, there is currently a paucity of sustainable long-term funding mechanisms. Given the financial focus on HIV/AIDS as one of the “big three” diseases targeted by the Millennium Development Goals and the overlap of NTDs in areas with high HIV/AIDS prevalences, policy makers should work to broaden the scope of historically established HIV/AIDS policies to include NTD control and elimination efforts.
Over one billion people worldwide are affected by NTDs and millions more are at imminent risk for infection [1, 2]. Responsible for an annual loss of 57 million disability adjusted life years [3], NTDs claim over 530,000 lives each year [4] and often inflict severe, permanent and stigmatizing physical debilitation in survivors [5].Over time, NTDs can also cause decreased cognitive output and productivity, which has profound economic implications in countries that are endemic for one or more NTDs [1].
