India - Focus on 17 neglected tropical diseases soon

NEW DELHI: Around 17 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) - many of which affect millions of Indians - are all set to get the much-needed attention.

Nine pharmaceutical company CEOs, Bill Gates along with the World Health Organization (WHO) will loosen their purse strings on Monday to announce a range of measures to achieve a common goal: NTD elimination by 2020.

According to a document, released on January 26 by the WHO, over $2 billion is needed to prevent and treat all people at risk of contracting a common NTD by 2015.

Two such neglected diseases - dengue and cysticercosis - are costing India about $45 million every year. Globally, NTDs affect one in six persons, many of them among the world's poorest. The coordinated efforts include categories of research and development, drug supply and resources for implementation.

The programme aims to improve the lives of over 1.4 billion people worldwide and help them achieve self-sufficiency. Around one billion of the poor across the world suffer from NTDs, mostly in urban slums.

NTDs kill an estimated 534,000 people each year, says WHO.

India has a huge disease burden of rabies, caused by dog bites. In India, 20,000 rabies deaths (that is about two persons in 100,000) are estimated to occur annually. In Asia, 31,000 deaths are estimated to occur annually (1.2/100,000 population). WHO identified 17 NTDs in 149 countries, and found that more than one-thirds of the 2.7 billion people living on less than $2 a day were affected.

WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan said, "Though medically diverse, NTDs form a group because all are strongly associated with poverty and all flourish in impoverished environments."

She added, "Most are ancient diseases that have plagued humanity for centuries. Today, NTDs are largely hidden, concentrated in remote rural areas or urban slums. They are also largely silent, as the people affected or at risk have little political voice."

Chan also says NTDs have traditionally ranked low on both national and international health agendas.

According to WHO, these diseases anchor large populations in poverty. For instance, onchocerciasis and trachoma cause blindness. Leprosy and lymphatic filariasis deform in ways that hinder economic productivity.

Without post-exposure prophylaxis, rabies causes acute encephalitis, and is always fatal. Leishmaniasis leaves permanent scars and is rapidly fatal if untreated. Dengue has emerged as a fast spreading vector-borne disease affecting mostly poor, urban populations.

It is also the leading cause of hospital admissions in several countries. WHO says, "The effort is directed towards achieving the targets for the control of NTDs set by the World Health Assembly that will contribute to attaining the Millennium Development Goals in 2015 and further elimination targets by 2020.

However, millions of people still need free high-quality treatments and millions more still need care and treatment for human dog-mediated rabies, echinococcosis, leishmaniasis and other NTDs seemingly difficult to treat. Country level capacity needs to be strengthened through well-trained healthcare providers and managers for the sustained implementation of efficient control programmes."

Kounteya Sinha,

The Times of India

Business & Investment Opportunities

YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Consulting, Investment and Management, focusing three main economic sectors: International PR; Healthcare & Wellness;and Tourism & Hospitality. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programs. Sign up with twitter to get news updates with @SaigonBusinessC. Thanks.