Working to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases: First WHO report on neglected tropical diseases

Neglected tropical diseases blight the lives of a billion people worldwide and threaten the health of millions more. These close companions of poverty weaken impoverished populations, frustrate the achievement of health in the Millennium Development Goals and impede global public health outcomes.

Wider recognition of the public health significance of neglected tropical diseases and better knowledge of their epidemiology have stimulated necessary changes in public health thinking to approach and achieve control.

This report presents evidence to demonstrate that activities undertaken to prevent and control neglected tropical diseases are producing results - and that achievements are being recognized.By 2008, preventive chemotherapy had reached more than 670 million people in 75 countries.