Neglected Tropical Diseases

INTRODUCTION

Lymphatic Filariasis is a major public health issue in India. Even though the National Filaria Control Programme was established in 1955, it is estimated that there are over 30 million micro-filaremics, over 23 million cases of symptomatic filariasis and almost half-a-billion individuals that are potentially at risk of infection. The last 10 years have seen positive advances in the diagnostics, treatment and control of filariasis.

The elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is feasible but its progress is hindered by a paucity of effective intervention tools, the suboptimal implementation of existing tools, or both. We see an opportunity to identify and demonstrate feasibility of new applications of cutting-edge technologies used by other disease areas to address the challenges faced by national NTD programs and accelerate the elimination of NTDs.

Opportunity:

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a large and diverse group of diseases that disproportionately affect health and livelihood of the poor in the developing world and typically lack attention and funding for research and development.  Although in recent decades there has been significant progress toward the elimination and even eradication of some neglected diseases, there is still an unmet need to discover, develop, and deliver tools and strategies to diagnose, treat and interrupt transmission of some neglected diseases.

Solutions for onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted helminth infections (ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm disease), and schistosomiasis