Scientific African (Jun 2024)

An insight into the Success, Challenges, and Future perspectives of eliminating Neglected tropical disease

  • Shuaibu Abdullahi Hudu,
  • Abdulgafar Olayiwola Jimoh,
  • Kehinde Ahmad Adeshina,
  • Edith Ginika Otalike,
  • Albashir Tahir,
  • Abdelmonem Awad Hegazy

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24
p. e02165

Abstract

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Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are debilitating, chronic illnesses that have the power to prolong poverty due to their negative effects on productivity, child development, social embarrassment, and maternal problems. Insufficient resources are available to raise awareness of these illnesses or locate previously unknown cases. More than one billion people worldwide are still affected by NTDs, which have significant social and financial repercussions for developing nations. Global targets have been set by the World Health Organization to prevent, control, eliminate, or eradicate NTDs, as well as broad and interdisciplinary aims linked to the Sustainable Development Goals targets. The Kigali Declaration, in which leading organizations and countries declared fresh commitments to step up efforts to eradicate NTDs, and the London Declaration aimed to control and eradicate ten NTDs by 2020. We reviewed the epidemiology and burden of NTDs, the success and challenges of eliminating NTDs, as well as therapeutic interventions for the management of NTDs. We also opined on future directions necessary for effective and holistic eradication of NTDs in affected regions. The successful eradication of NTD will significantly increase the socioeconomic and educational levels of the affected countries, thereby increasing the productive workforce and assisting in the accomplishment of some sustainable development goals. As a result, there is a need for global commitment to funding drug research and development.

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