Neglected tropical diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of diverse medical conditions that are strongly associated with poverty. These diseases thrive in tropical areas, where they often overlap, but are also found in a wide range of geographical and social environments across the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Most of them are ancient diseases that have affected humanity for centuries.

Once widely prevalent, many NTDs have disappeared from large parts of the Region as economies developed and living conditions and hygiene improved. But they are still found in abundance in places where economic progress has been slower or where emerging crises have disrupted lives, infrastructure and health systems.

NTDs are strongly associated with the Agenda for Sustainable Development. Target 3.3 of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (the so-called “health goal”) aims at ending the epidemics of NTDs by 2030. NTDs are also relevant to Goal 1, which targets the ending of poverty in all its forms everywhere, as interventions to prevent and manage NTDs are highly costeffective and can alleviate the financial burden of health care for families and health systems alike.

NTDs are also strongly linked to universal health coverage (Target 3.8). Succeeding in providing access to health services and essential medicines for NTDs will be an indicator of the overall success of universal health coverage, whose key principle is that “no one should be left behind”.