The primary aim of the Global Health Organizations is to provide primary healthcare and a strategy for disease elimination on a global scale.
After the eradication of Smallpox in the year 1979, the aim of these health communities has shifted to an expanded realm, setting their sights on the elimination of other deadly diseases like malaria, Tuberculosis and Polio. Although it sounds easy and fancy on paper, the hunt for an exact cure for these diseases follows a complex and comprehensive procedure.
According to the Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the Global Health Community, the measure is taken, targeting the eradication of epidemics like Aids, Malaria and TB, by the end of 2030.
That said, for a group of the neglected diseases, the eradication of them is not far from reach, all thanks to the better diagnosis and medical facilities in the isolated and rural areas.
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)
NTDs are taking over the globe, especially the lives of the people living in the isolated regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This is because the people living in those regions do not have access to clean drinking water or safer disposal of human waste. Some of the traumatizing NTDs in such areas include;
- Buruli Ulcer
- Dengue Fever
- Chagas Disease
- Echinococcosis
- Leishmaniasis
- Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease
- Rabies
- Trachoma
Measures taken to reach the goals
After extensive research, it was found that one of the best ways to control the spread or the further occurrences of the diseases mentioned above is to control its vectors like black flies and mosquitoes, improving basic sanitation, and imparting hygiene.
On January 20th, 2012, many of the pharmaceutical companies, NGOs, Government organizations and other health stakeholders, signed declarations endorsing the WHO with an NTD eradication roadmap. The roadmap included the absolute annihilation of 10 NTDs.
The effect
Every year, the NTDs affect over one billion people and most times, authorities and responsible organizations do not bat an eye because it happens with poverty and the lower sections of the society. Although the 2020 roadmap is stuck in between without reaching the destination, it still managed to ignite the fire to fight this spurring increase in the advocacy and the expertise of the diseases.
After years of studying the possible conditions and applying formulas to diminish the NTDs, one common question arises – Have these effects helped?
- The NTD roadmap targeted a global eradication of the sleeping sickness by the year 2020, but it recorded a historic low of fewer than 1000 cases in 2018.
- The roadmap has successfully eradicated the HAT in Uganda and Ivory Coast.
Bottom Line
Although the achievements and targets of the ambitions goal of beating NTDs are not wholly reached, it still has managed to find solutions and trials for medicines and vacancies for most of the NTDs in the rural, isolated and the areas below the poverty line.