Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect many neglected and marginalized populations worldwide, but the burden in sub-Saharan Africa is rather overwhelming. Many of the endemic communities are of very low socioeconomic status with very limited access to health services. Investing to overcome the global impact of NTDs will yield a very high economic rate of return and impact significantly on the quality of life of these populations. To scale up interventions to achieve control, elimination, or eradication of NTDs, programs must be integrated into the regular health system of endemic countries. Efforts to expand global coverage and targeting of NTDs must therefore involve national and international harmonization with coordination of the activities of partnerships devoted to control of these diseases. The continued support of major donors beyond the initial commitments announced during the London Declaration meetings remains crucial to funding the implementation of programs. The positioning of NTDs within the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda and the Strategic Development Goals (SDGs) could galvanize stakeholder support for these NTDs. Ultimately, we need to address the social structures in which NTDs flourish and invest in research and development for new diagnostics and drugs.
BT - Neglected Tropical Diseases - Sub-Saharan Africa DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-53901-5_1 LA - ENG M3 - Book N2 -Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect many neglected and marginalized populations worldwide, but the burden in sub-Saharan Africa is rather overwhelming. Many of the endemic communities are of very low socioeconomic status with very limited access to health services. Investing to overcome the global impact of NTDs will yield a very high economic rate of return and impact significantly on the quality of life of these populations. To scale up interventions to achieve control, elimination, or eradication of NTDs, programs must be integrated into the regular health system of endemic countries. Efforts to expand global coverage and targeting of NTDs must therefore involve national and international harmonization with coordination of the activities of partnerships devoted to control of these diseases. The continued support of major donors beyond the initial commitments announced during the London Declaration meetings remains crucial to funding the implementation of programs. The positioning of NTDs within the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda and the Strategic Development Goals (SDGs) could galvanize stakeholder support for these NTDs. Ultimately, we need to address the social structures in which NTDs flourish and invest in research and development for new diagnostics and drugs.
PB - Springer International Publishing PY - 2024 SN - 9783031539008/2194-8275, 2194-8283 SP - 1 EP - 22 T2 - Neglected Tropical Diseases - Sub-Saharan Africa TI - An Overview of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa ER -