Working in partnership with a group of philanthropists and the U.K. Department for International Development has “allowed for a new way of doing business” in the fight to eliminate neglected tropical diseases, according to USAID’s head of NTDs.
The term NTDs refers to a group of illnesses that affect the poorest communities in the world, killing approximately 150,000 people every year, and disabling 1.6 billion. But given the relatively low death toll compared to other global killer diseases, they tend to be overlooked by donors.
The real impact of these diseases are felt long term through stunting, malnutrition, disability, and pain and suffering, which can perpetuate cycles of poverty as children miss school and adults are unable to work.
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About the author
Sophie Edwards
Sophie Edwards is a Devex Contributing Reporter covering global education, water and sanitation, and innovative financing, along with other topics. She has previously worked for NGOs, and the World Bank, and spent a number of years as a journalist for a regional newspaper in the U.K. She has a master's degree from the Institute of Development Studies and a bachelor's from Cambridge University.
