Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a range of mostly contagious diseases found in temperate countries and isolated regions that primarily affect people and communities with few economic and health resources. It is estimated that approximately one billion people are affected by a Neglected Tropical Disease. This figure not only highlights the significant proportion of the world's population that suffers from these diseases, but also highlights the underlying problem: the people who contract these diseases belong to the lowest-income population and live in areas with the least resources. They are voiceless citizens, living in poverty and in remote rural areas where these diseases are not a priority. The purpose of this day is to reflect on the health and social impact caused by NTDs, to commemorate those who are committed to tackling them and to gather more support for their control, elimination and eradication.

We at Fundación Probitas would like to highlight January the 30th, day on which World Day for Neglected Tropical Diseases is celebrated. This date marks the launch of both the first WHO roadmap and the 2012 London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

Yes, it is possible to eliminate a NTD

Over the course of 2023, six countries managed to eliminate at least one of these pathologies. One of these was Iraq, which became the 50th nation to eliminate a WHO-listed NTD as a public health problem, named trachoma, a disease that is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness. In 2020, 600 million fewer people needed NTD interventions than in 2010. These figures show that progress is possible when right investments are made, and when, little by little, the international community takes a stand in the fight against this scourge in order to leave no one behind and achieve the health goals set for 2030.

"We United. We Act. We Eliminate", the slogan of the World Day for Elimination of NTDs 2024

• Like any global effort, the fight against these diseases requires a joint effort by governments, social and research entities, laboratories, universities, communities and society in general. Only united can the progress made so far be achieved and the targets for 2030 be met.
• To do this, we need to act at all levels: investing in research, changing health policies, educating and informing the population that suffers from the diseases, improving treatments and diagnoses, or improving access to water and sanitation, among other actions.
• This is the roadmap for eliminating NTDs. In its 2030 roadmap, WHO aims to eradicate one disease in 100 countries and reduce the number of people requiring interventions for NTDs by a 90%.

In response to crises: opportunities. And this crisis is a perfect opportunity to achieve universal health coverage in areas not prioritised by health systems, precisely because they are ailments typical of regions with few resources and low health investment. It is also a window of opportunity to integrate NTDs into health systems in a cross-cutting manner, considering their transmissible nature, to promote the development of epidemiological surveillance and control services, which are very positive in the case of prevention and response to possible pandemics such as Covid-19.

Fundación Probitas: working for equity in health and the NTDs

True to our principles and objectives, at Fundación Probitas we work to empower communities by improving their health. We are convinced that the elimination of NTDs is a driver for greater social and economic equity. For this reason, for the last five years, we have focused part of our resources on programmes to combat NTDs. We understand that, in this way, we prioritise marginalised populations, those who bear the greatest burden of disease, and we see this work as a step towards global health equity.

From the Paraguayan Chaco, where we have strengthened two diagnostic laboratories in collaboration with ISGlobal and the Ministry of Health, the testimony of Jésica, a young woman who is seven months pregnant, reflects the work to fight the Chagas disease: "We no longer go to other hospitals that are far away. I didn't know about Chagas and here they told me that I should get tested because there are no symptoms, you can't see it and then the heart gets big and it's too late. If I have Chagas I can harm my baby too.

"Jésica knew nothing about the disease until this project was set up. Combining prevention activities at the community level, with those diagnosis and treatments by strengthening public health centres, and reinforcing diagnostic laboratories is an important pillar of our projects on the ground," explains Anna Veiga, Director of the Probitas Foundation.

"In view of what has been achieved internationally during the last years, we believe that the control of NTDs is an achievable goal. It will be necessary to increase investment, support ministries of health in their strategies and mainstream disease programmes, among other actions, but by acting united, we will make progress in the elimination of neglected tropical diseases," concludes Anna Veiga.