Research & development for neglected tropical diseases

Global strategic direction

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse set of 20 diseases and disease groups that mainly affect resource-poor populations in tropical and sub-tropical countries. They include bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal diseases, and the non-communicable disease snakebite envenoming. 

More than 1 billion people require one or more interventions against NTDs every year. NTD interventions have been recognized as key contributors towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG1 (“End poverty in all its forms everywhere”) and SDG3 (“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”), particularly SDG3’s targets 3.3 (by 2030 end the epidemics of … neglected tropical diseases …) and 3.8 (Achieve universal health coverage …). 

Over the past two decades, WHO has undertaken a process of standardization and harmonization of strategies to tackle the burden of NTDs, with the aim of consolidating disease-specific practices into one comprehensive approach. In 2020, after an extensive global consultative process that began in 2018, a new global road map for NTDs for 2021–2030 was finalized and endorsed by the 73rd World Health Assembly. 

This key document sets out global targets for 2030 and intervening milestones to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs, as well as cross-cutting targets. The targets and milestones are aligned with WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023 and the SDGs. The 2021–2030 NTDs road map proposes strategies for attaining these targets over the next decade and succeeds the first NTDs road map, which was published in 2012.