What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)?

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are found in 149 countries and regions worldwide, threatening the lives of more than one billion people and costing developing countries billions of dollars each year (*1). Most of its patients are concentrated among the poor who live in poor sanitation and are vulnerable to contact with infected mosquitoes and livestock. Infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases, the three major infectious diseases, not only spread economic deprivation among individuals, but also contribute to poverty in the country or region as a whole. Breaking this negative cycle of poverty and infectious diseases is necessary for economic growth in endemic countries and for stabilizing global conditions. Goal 3 (Target 3.3) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls for the eradication of these infectious diseases by 2030.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published the NTD road map 2021-2030 as a roadmap to promote the commitment to sustainable healthcare systems by a wider range of stakeholders and countries affected by NTDs (*2).

The three major infectious diseases are

HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria are the three major infectious diseases that still spread mainly in low- and middle-income countries and claim more than 2.5 million lives each year. The spread of these three infectious diseases, which are a threat to humanity, has been slowing down as a result of many years of international support. On the other hand, the progress of countermeasures is said to be slowing down due to social and economic challenges such as political instability in endemic countries, the large economic burden and lack of funds required for countermeasures, as well as weak healthcare systems, drug resistance issues, and new pandemics such as COVID19.

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are

Neglected Tropical DiseasesInfectious diseases caused by parasites and bacteria that are widespread mainly in tropical and subtropical regions are called "Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)" because they have not been considered major diseases by developed countries. and 21 of these are dengue fever, rabies, trachoma, buruli ulcer, treponema infection, leprosy, Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, cysticercosis, Guinea worm infection, inclusion worm disease, food-borne sucking worm infection, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness, schistosomiasis, soil-borne parasitosis, mycetoma, scabies, snake 21 diseases are defined as NTDs: biting disease, norma (*3).

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