Current state and future directions of interventions for neglected tropical diseases

Abstract

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) impose severe health, social and economic burdens on millions in impoverished regions. These diseases, once overlooked, have gained global attention following strategic advocacy and planning by the World Health Organization and its partners, and are now prioritized within the Sustainable Development Goals framework. In this Review, we examine current interventions including preventive chemotherapy, innovative and intensified disease management, vector control, One Health, and improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene; and we highlight the role of human behaviour and community engagement and involvement in driving intervention success, sustainability and ownership within communities. Regional disparities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, call for tailored approaches that tackle logistical barriers, funding constraints, donor dependency, stigma and drug resistance. To control and eradicate NTDs by 2030, we require sustained political commitment, innovative financing and the greater integration of NTD strategies within broader health systems.