Neglected Tropical Diseases

January 31, 2023

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In Context

Recently, the “Global report on neglected tropical diseases 2023” was published on World NTD Day- January 30th by WHO.

Report highlights

According to the report, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) continue to disproportionately impact the most impoverished members of the international community, living in areas with
- inadequate water safety,
- sanitation and
- access to health care.
Some 16 countries accounted for 80 percent of the global NTD burden.
Globally, nearly 1.65 billion people were estimated to require treatment for at least one NTD, the report highlighted.

Impact of COVID:
- Report highlighted the advancement and challenges in delivering NTD care worldwide against a backdrop of COVID-19-related disruptions.
- It also highlighted the tremendous effects COVID-19 had on community-based initiatives, access to healthcare facilities and healthcare goods supply chains.
- As a result, between 2019 and 2020, 34 percent fewer persons received treatment for NTDs.
Accomplishments:
- Despite challenges, some accomplishments were made on this front in 2021-2022.
- More than one billion people have been treated for NTDs annually between 2016 and 2019, thanks to mass treatment initiatives.
- And in 2021, 25 percent fewer people needed treatments against NTDs than in 2010.
Need for efforts and investments:
- It underscored greater efforts and investments required to reverse delays and accelerate progress towards the NTD road map targets by 2030.

Report Suggestions

Collaborations and partnerships:
- WHO urged multi-sectoral collaboration and partnerships to achieve these targets.
Closing the gaps:
- WHO called on additional partners and funders to step up and close the gaps preventing the full-scale implementation of NTD actions at the international and local levels.
WHO’s initiatives:
- Over 100 scientific recommendations, tools, and other information products were produced as a result of WHO’s NTD efforts in 2021 and 2022 to support the international NTD community, particularly poor countries.
- The global health body launched an NTD channel with 36 training courses on 19 different topics for healthcare professionals.

More about the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)

About:
- NTDs are a diverse group of conditions mainly prevalent in tropical areas caused by various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins.
Dominant regions:
- They are common in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Prioritization by WHO:
- Twenty neglected tropical diseases are prioritized by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses, scabies and other ectoparasites, and snakebite envenomation were added to the list in 2017.
Global issue:
- These diseases are common in 149 countries, affecting more than 1.4 billion people (including more than 500 million children)and costing developing economies billions of dollars every year.
- They resulted in 142,000 deaths in 2013—down from 204,000 deaths in 1990.

NTD’s in India

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) continue to pose a significant health burden on some of the most disadvantaged communities in India.
India has the world’s largest absolute burden of at least 10 major NTDs, including hookworm, dengue, lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, visceral leishmaniasis or kala-azar and rabies.
- Lymphatic Filariasis is endemic in 328 districts across 21 states/Union territories.
- Kala-Azar is endemic in 54 districts across four states of India and together, these diseases affect 650 million and 140 million people in the country, respectively.
It is difficult to estimate the actual burden of NTDs in India as there is no single organisation or government agency which has been given this mandate.

Government Initiatives

The Government of India is 100 percent committed to ending NTDs like Lymphatic Filariasis and Kala-Azar, in line with global elimination and control targets.
Preventive methods:
- Preventive methods like Mass Drug Administration (MDA) rounds are periodically deployed in endemic areas during which anti-filarial medicines are provided free-of-cost to at-risk communities.
Vector-control measures:
- Vector-control measures like Indoor Residual Spraying rounds are undertaken in endemic areas to prevent sandfly breeding.
- The government also supports morbidity management and disability prevention for those affected by lymphoedema and hydrocele.
Target-oriented elimination:
- Some of the vector-borne diseases (mosquito and sandfly) have been targeted for elimination or prevention by the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control and Programme for Leprosy and Soil Transmitted Helminths.
Wage compensation schemes:
- State and central governments have also introduced wage compensation schemes for those suffering from Kala-Azar and its sequela (a condition which is the consequence of a previous disease or injury) known as Post-Kala Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis.

Way ahead

We have the tools and the know-how not just to save lives and prevent suffering but to free entire communities and countries of these diseases.
- It’s time to act now, act together, and invest in NTDs.
India is poised to emerge as a global leader in the battle against NTDs, but success in this decade will demand bolder action.
As India stands firm on its commitment to eliminate NTDs, multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral partnerships and collaboration will continue to play a central role in sustaining the momentum gained.
An integrated approach to improving access to quality healthcare, water, sanitation, hygiene, addressing climate change and ensuring gender equity, mental health and well-being must lie at the core of eliminating these diverse NTDs.

Source: TH