Neglected Tropical Diseases: Advances in Research, Drug Discovery, and the Quest for Equity in Global Health

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) collectively affect more than one billion people, predominantly in the world’s poorest communities, yet they remain drastically underfunded relative to their disease burden. This chapter reviews recent scientific advances in the biology, diagnosis, and control of priority NTDs — including leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, leprosy, and soil-transmitted helminths — with a focus on developments in drug discovery, novel chemotherapeutic agents, and preventive chemotherapy programmes. It also addresses the integration of NTD control into broader universal health coverage frameworks and the social determinants that perpetuate the cycle of poverty and neglected disease.