Neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs, affect over 1 billion people worldwide, predominantly in the poorest communities in the global south. These preventable and treatable conditions — including human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and schistosomiasis — keep children out of school and adults from earning a living.
Across Africa, NTDs continue to affect hundreds of millions of people, locking communities into cycles of poverty and marginalization. Sub-Saharan Africa bears the brunt of this burden. Still, from town halls to national health strategies, governments across the region are stepping up and showing what it takes to escape the neglect.
Endemic countries are designing integrated strategies, investing domestic resources, and building community health systems from the ground up. Their efforts, from deploying frontline workers to partnering with pharmaceutical companies and the private sector, show that sustainable progress is possible when solutions are locally led and nationally supported.
Devex spoke with three leaders to share lessons that could guide other countries on the path to NTDs elimination. Their message is clear: NTDs may be labeled “neglected,” but they are anything but forgotten in the communities and countries they affect.
Watch the video to learn more.
Visit Escape the Neglect — a series exploring the extraordinary progress that countries are making in eliminating neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs, and showcasing promising opportunities to build on recent wins.
This content is produced in partnership for our Escape the Neglect series. Click here to learn more.
About the author
Devex Partnerships
Thanks for reading and for your interest in Devex. In collaboration with our partners, Devex’s partnerships editorial team produces content to promote a partner’s work or perspectives on a particular issue. It gives actors across the global development sector — including nongovernmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, aid agencies and government institutions — the opportunity to go beyond traditional advertising and tell their stories in an impactful way. If you’d like to learn more about how you can shine a spotlight on a particular issue with Devex, please email partnerships@devex.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
