by Julian Eaton
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that affect many of the poorest parts of the world have started to receive increased attention in the last decades. Probably most significant among these global efforts is the focus on reduction of transmission, and even in some cases, eradication. There is a very real prospect of achieving great progress, for example in guinea worm, leprosy, onchocerciasis (leading to river blindness), trachoma (also a cause of blindness), Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), and others. This article addresses cross-cutting issues in NTDs including stigma, discrimination, and mental health – to raise the profile of the links between these two neglected fields.