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Not all diseases are recognized equally. It is an unfortunate fact of life that parts of the world with sufficient pharmaceutical infrastructure tend to overlook diseases that do not impact them directly. Conditions like noma, sleeping sickness, and snakebite envenoming are not issues that some of the wealthier regions of the world are concerned with, but Médecins Sans Frontières cannot ignore them due to their prevalence in impoverished tropical countries. As of 2024, there are 20 conditions officially classified by the World Health Organization as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which affect upwards of 1.8 billion people worldwide.¹

Snakebite envenoming is one of the deadliest NTDs, affecting more than 5 million people annually. Out of these cases, 100,000 victims die, and survivors are often left with permanent disabilities, such as amputation or severe scarring.² There is a direct correlation between, snakebites, death, and poverty, as individuals living in remote rural villages are most susceptible.³ However, in these countries, it is not as simple as buying antivenom to treat snakebite envenoming. Most antivenoms cost hundreds of dollars, forcing people to turn to less effective, yet affordable antivenoms. Unfortunately, without a clear profit margin, many large pharmaceutical manufacturers choose to ignore this issue.^4,5

In 2021, the WHO launched a roadmap to reduce the number of patients affected by NTDs by ninety percent by 2030.⁶ Three pillars form the foundation of this roadmap, the first of which pushes for the acceleration of programmatic actions to reduce the incidence, prevalence, and fatality of NTDs.⁶ This program aims to increase scientific understanding of NTDs and improve the healthcare infrastructure needed to effectively treat them. Second, the strengthening of cross-cutting approaches involves integrating preventative initiatives like WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), vector control, and collaborative measures.⁶ The third and final pillar describes the importance of redefining operational approaches to treatment and encouraging a culture of ownership at the national level. This refers to countries and manufacturers taking on greater responsibility to further drive the progress of NTD treatment to establish effective operating models.⁶

However, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, funding for NTD treatment was reduced and was catastrophic for people in developing countries.⁷ Caution should be taken to avoid setting a destructive precedent. Progress that has been made towards treatment of NTDs have more or less halted due to the pandemic, which has allowed diseases like visceral leishmaniasis to spread uncontrollably. MSF warns against the current profit-driven research and development model, as the development of treatment for NTDs continues to be deprioritized. The NTD problem must be solved by continued support for research and development, as well as improved accessibility. 

Despite this setback, the global response to Covid-19 showed the world’s capability to come together and combat a pandemic through political will and resources. Hopefully, the world will respond in a similar fashion to the NTD problem.⁷ By consistently publishing reports highlighting issues with NTD treatment and sharing their experience, MSF is working to shed light on the suffering caused by NTDs and improve the lives of NTD patients.⁴

MSF is one of the few actors actively combating the spread of NTDs in overlooked areas by providing medical aid, carrying out field research, and pioneering efforts to create new treatments.⁸ Over the course of 25 years, MSF has helped to reduce the cases of sleeping sickness by 97 percent, eliminating it from Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, Uganda, last year in Chad, and in Guinea this year.⁹

Great strides have been made in the process of containing and treating these diseases, but this issue requires more funding and attention. The gap between countries endemic to NTDs and their access to treatment must be addressed and addressed by global pharmaceutical countries. It is only through the continued discussion of NTDs by organizations like MSF that the battle against these diseases is possible.

References

1. 2021, R. J. (2021, January 27). Overcoming neglect: Report on ntds: MSF. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International. https://www.msf.org/overcoming-neglect-report-ntds
2. The diseases the world forgot about. The diseases the world forgot about | MSF Paediatric Days. (n.d.). https://paediatrics.msf.org/news/diseases-world-forgot-about
3. MSF calls for more global investment in treating neglected tropical diseases. Doctors Without Borders – USA. (n.d.). https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/msf-calls-more-global-investment-treating-neglected-tropical-diseases
4. Melanie. (2025, January 30). 10 things you need to know about neglected tropical diseases in 2025. Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF … https://www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-neglected-tropical-diseases-in-2025/ 
5. MSF statement on EB 154/11 – Road Map for neglected … Médecins Sans Frontières. (n.d.). https://msfaccess.org/msf-statement-eb-15411-road-map-neglected-tropical-diseases-2021-2030-0
6. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Ending NTDS together towards 2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/teams/control-of-neglected-tropical-diseases/ending-ntds-together-towards-2030
7. MSF warns that reduced funding for neglected tropical diseases could be devastating | médecins sans frontières access campaign. (2022, June 23). https://msfaccess.org/msf-warns-reduced-funding-neglected-tropical-diseases-could-be-devastating
8. Neglected diseases: MSF medical response. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International. (2023, December 15). https://www.msf.org/neglected-diseases
9. Omuli, B. (n.d.). Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases | MSF access campaign. Médecins Sans Frontières. https://msfaccess.org/tropical-and-neglected-diseases

Edited by: Mohamed Jama