Most diseases are like spiders in a web, infecting and spreading to countries and people in a very intricate way. They work efficiently and quietly, sneaking up on their victims and making sure it’s far too late before they get the chance to realize that they are there. But, of course, thanks to the advances of modern science, that metaphor has become more and more ineffective.

Neglected Tropical Diseases, better known by the acronym of NTDs, are understudied, yet not underestimated. There’s a reason the word ‘neglected’ is in the title, and it’s because very little has been studied about them even now. They tend to affect the world’s poor. According to their roadmap, places such as Mexico, Brazil and the region of Sub-Saharan Africa are often affected. While there are variations in diseases, some of their shared symptoms include; rashes, fever, aches, and lymph node swelling. A few of the common diseases include Chagas disease, found in the feces of insects, hookworm infections, and Buruli ulcer, a rare and exotic bacterial infection found in the waters of West Africa.

But, why does that matter?
This past January 30th was Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, and this matters because these diseases have taken over one billion lives worldwide. Unfortunately they’re all easily preventable and yet due to the location and the people they affect, they seem not to be noticed at all. Not having the medical assistance to be able to treat these diseases can lead to permanent disfigurement or even death. On NTDs day, people bring attention to the diseases and the people affected by them yearly, helping fund research and bringing urgent attention to help these people.

So what can we do to help, as teenagers? 

Social media. While our impact seems small, the reach that enough posts can make on social platforms is impressive. TikTok, X, and Instagram are absolutely prime examples of this, hashtags and ten to sixty second videos allowing users to inform others about these diseases very quickly, as well as possible ways to spot them and treat them. #NTDDay is a prominent hashtag that is used.

For more information, the World NTD homepage  is a good starting point, as well as the website of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases website to further inform yourself.

I type this article with the hope it will reach the right students. The students that care about the world and want to make a difference in it. The ones who will grow up form our generation and, hopefully, change the world.

This feels like a good place to start.