Neglected Tropical Diseases in Contemporary Urban Health Discourse: A Call to Action

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a subgroup of infectious illnesses which range from various intestinal parasitic infections to leprosy and dengue. Causing acute illness, long-term disability or premature death, its... [ view full abstract ]

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a subgroup of infectious illnesses which range from various intestinal parasitic infections to leprosy and dengue. Causing acute illness, long-term disability or premature death, its health effects are often amplified by stigma and economic losses. Although these diseases are prevalent in the tropical regions, they are not prioritized by funding agencies, researchers or policy makers.

It may be more appropriate to re-frame NTDs as diseases of poverty since the world’s most economically-disadvantaged populations reside in or near the tropics. These diseases usually occur in rural regions and poor urban centers within low- and middle-income countries predominately in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Urban centers in these regions tend to be populated quickly given the current urbanization trends. By 2030, two-thirds of the world’s population is projected to live in an urban area and around a third of these will be in mega-cities of low- and middle-income countries. These trends imply that the world’s cities would be at the forefront of disease prevention at a scale unprecedented in history.

Despite the threat, contemporary urban health discourse is not giving NTDs the attention they deserve. Poor and marginalized urban communities suffer as a result. Aggravated by climate change, dengue outbreaks are happening more frequently. Certain diseases such as leprosy and intestinal parasitic infections still persist, with urban cases presenting a substantial hindrance to elimination.

There is a need to utilize the benefits of urbanization to implement an integrated approach to control NTDs. However, it is only when funding agencies, urban health experts and leaders at the national and international level acknowledge the threat and burden of NTDs on urban populations that meaningful action against these diseases can be done.