Neglected tropical diseases persist under conditions of poverty and are concentrated almost exclusively in impoverished populations in the developing world.
Unsafe water, lack of access to health services, inadequate housing, malnutrition and poor sanitation all increase vulnerability to infection.
More than 1 billion people are affected with one or more neglected tropical diseases, yet these diseases remain neglected at all levels.
Neglect at community level
Neglected tropical diseases such as leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and leishmaniasis are feared and are the source of strong social stigma and prejudice. As a result, these diseases are often hidden – out of sight, poorly documented and unmentioned.
Neglect at national level
Neglected tropical diseases tend to be hidden below the radar screens of health services and politicians because they afflict populations that are marginalized, with little political voice. Although frequently causing severe pain and life-long disabilities, these diseases are generally not major killers. Under resource-limited conditions, high mortality diseases such as HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis are prioritized to the detriment of neglected tropical diseases.
Neglect at international level
Neglected tropical diseases do not travel easily and thus do not pose an immediate threat to Western society. Moreover, they are tied to specific geographical and environmental conditions.
The development of new diagnostic tools has been underfunded largely because neglected tropical diseases do not represent a significant market.
Less than 1% of the 1393 new drugs registered during 1975–1999 were for tropical diseases.
Less than 0.001% of the US$ 60–70 billion spent on new drugs went towards developing new
and urgently needed treatments for tropical diseases.
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241598705_eng.pdf
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