GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Health Issues
Context: According to the “Global report on neglected tropical diseases 2023” report published on World NTD Day — January 30, 2023, by World Health Organization (WHO), 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.
About Neglected Tropical Diseases:
- NTDs are a group of 20 conditions mainly prevalent in tropical areas where people do not have access to clean water or safe ways to dispose of human waste.
- They are caused by various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins.
- NTDs are most common among marginalized communities in the developing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Key Findings of the report:
- 16 countries accounted for 80 per cent of the global NTD burden. Globally, nearly 1.65 billion people were estimated to require treatment for at least one NTD.
- The document 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 per cent fewer persons received treatment for NTDs.
About WHO Neglected Disease roadmap:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) works towards the ultimate goal of a world free of the burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). This work is described in the NTD road map 2021–2030, WHO’s blueprint to drive global efforts in the fight against NTDs in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Global Initiatives:
- London Declaration on NTDs: It was adopted on 30th January 2012 to recognize the global burden of NTDs.
NTDs in India:
- India carries the largest burden of at least 11 of these diseases, with parasitic illnesses like kala-azar and lymphatic filariasisaffecting millions of people throughout the country – often the poorest and most vulnerable.
Indian Initiatives to tackle NTDs:
- A WHO-supported regional alliance was established by the governments of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal in 2005 to expedite early diagnosis and treatment of the most vulnerable populations and improve disease surveillance and control of sandfly populations (Kala-azar).
- India has already eliminated several other NTDs, including guinea worm, trachoma, and yaws.
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Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
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