Global report on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) 2023

Why in News?

• The World Health Organization’s (WHO) has recently released a Global report on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) 2023.
• It states that NTD continues to disproportionately impact the most impoverished members of the international community.

Highlights

• About 16 countries accounted for 80 % of the global NTD burden.
• Globally, nearly 1.65 billion people are estimated to require treatment for at least one NTD.
• Covid-19 impacted the community-based initiatives, access to healthcare facilities and healthcare goods supply chains. As a result, between 2019 and 2020, 34% fewer persons received treatment for NTDs.
• Greater efforts and investments are required to reverse delays and accelerate progress towards the NTD road map targets by 2030.
• WHO urged multi-sectoral collaboration and partnerships to achieve these targets.
• It is the need of the hour for 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.
• NTDs are a group of infections that are most common among marginalized communities in the developing regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas.
• They are caused by a variety of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa and parasitic worms.
• NTDs are especially common in tropical areas where people do not have access to clean water or safe ways to dispose of human waste.
• These diseases generally receive less funding for research and treatment than malaises like tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS and malaria.