Photo credit: Uniting to Combat NTDs/ Marcus Perkins
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of preventable or treatable diseases that affect more than 1 billion people worldwide. They are neglected because of who they impact – some of the world’s most overlooked and hardest-to-reach people. But today, thanks to the leadership of affected countries, and the dedication of donors and global health partners, the world is making incredible progress in eliminating them. With continued collaboration, we can achieve a world free of NTDs.
A world free from NTDs is within reach
January 30 marks World NTD Day. Join partners from around the world in calling for greater funding, resources, and political will to defeat NTDs and improve the lives of millions.
55 countries
have eliminated at least one NTD
as of January 2025
690 million
fewer people required
interventions against NTDs
in 2023 than in 2010
30 billion
treatments donated by pharmaceutical partners to combat NTDs between 2011 and 2024
What are neglected tropical diseases?
NTDs are devastating diseases that affect an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. These diseases disfigure, disable and can be fatal, causing immense suffering.
By most commonly affecting the world’s most isolated and marginalized communities, NTDs perpetuate poverty, keeping adults out of work and children out of school.
But progress is possible and achievable. NTDs are preventable and treatable, and there’s a rich ecosystem of partners around the world working together to tackle them. Together, their collaboration represents some of the best and longest-standing in global health.
Photo credit: Gates Archive/Diana Zeyned Alhindawi
Photo credit: GLIDE/Oscar Medina – 2021
What is World NTD Day?
World NTD Day is the annual rallying point for the global movement to eliminate NTDs. It marks the anniversary of the landmark 2012 London Declaration on NTDs, which unified partners across sectors, countries, and communities to push for greater investment and action against these debilitating diseases.
World NTD Day was first championed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), under the leadership of His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The day now serves as a catalyst to translate awareness into action, galvanize new commitments, and celebrate the collaboration between countries and global health partners that continues to drive progress today.
Since its launch in 2020, hundreds of partners have united to mark World NTD Day and demand global action to #BeatNTDs.
