The lack of resources dedicated to reducing the neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs, burden across the world is resounding, but elimination of these diseases could be one of the best returns on investment available.
With lack of prioritization from the private sector, international donors have generally funded efforts to combat NTDs. The donor landscape, however, is increasingly difficult to predict against a backdrop of global instability, and countries affected by NTDs must employ financing solutions to protect the progress made to date and, crucially, to expand elimination successes to other NTDs and geographies.
In 2021, 540 million fewer people worldwide required interventions against neglected tropical diseases than in 2010. While NTD cases were reported in 179 countries in 2021, as of December 2022, 47 countries had eliminated at least one NTD. Still there is a lot further to go, with over 1.5 billion people in the world’s most vulnerable communities continuing to suffer from one of these 20 devastating diseases.
About the authors
Ngozi Erondu
Ngozi Erondu is technical director at the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE). She has 15 years of experience researching and supporting global health governance and health systems strengthening in more than 40 countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa regions.
Willo Brock
Willo Brock is vice president, external affairs at FIND. He has three decades of bringing together people, for-profit organizations, governments, and civil society to tackle global issues of insecurity and inequality and develop effective programs giving people opportunities for growth and development.
