Tulane University

Although efforts to combat childhood killer diseases have been immense, consequently, there have been reduced actions to curb the global disease burden of NTDs. Although neglected diseases are caused by numerous types of disease causing pathogens, these diseases have geographic and functional similarities. In areas of extreme poverty, it is not unusual to discover multiple neglected diseases operating at the same time and within the same population. Due to these commonalities, the same global health policy framework has been implemented to understand the conditions that promote NTD transmission. It is essential that the same global attention for childhood killer diseases is directed towards NTD control and treatment to ensure that the world’s most marginalized communities are not our last priority. 


Childhood Diseases vs. Neglected Tropical Diseases

Hotez, P. (2011). A handful of ‘antipoverty’ vaccines exist for neglected diseases, but the world’s poorest billion people need more. Health Affairs, 30(6), 1080-1087. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0317

A Handful Of ‘Antipoverty’ Vaccines Exist For Neglected Diseases, But The World’s Poorest Billion People Need More

Chronic neglected diseases severely impact physical and cognitive development in children. These untreated diseases can negatively impact labor productivity and future wage earnings in the future. Neglected tropical diseases can cause blindness, cognitive impairment or physical disfigurement which, subsequently, reduces worker productivity. 

The Effects of NTDs on Children

Neglected tropical diseases disproportionately affect women and young girls as certain NTDs can cause genital disfigurement and affect pregnancy. Genital disfigurement may be stigmatizing in certain cultures; therefore, there is a significant societal burden that contributes to economic instability and penury. Additionally, hundreds of millions of women in Africa are at risk of uterine and lower genital tract ulcers caused by a certain form of schistosomiasis, which increases their susceptibility to HIV/AIDS. 

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