neglected tropical diseases Archives - TPR: The Public's Radio

Ophthalmic nurse Sister Tadelech Yilma (R) performs a tarsotomy surgery on trachoma patient and farmer Scheicho Scheifa (C) to address the damage caused by an advanced stage of trachoma at a medical facility in a village near Butajira, on January 17, 2025. Trachoma is responsible for blinding or visually impairing nearly two million people worldwide. It is caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which is spread through contact with the eyes or nose of infected people. According to the World Health Organization, trachoma is "hyperendemic in many of the poorest and most rural areas" of the world, and Africa is the most affected continent. Around 103 million people worldwide live in areas where the infectious disease is endemic, according to the UN agency. Nearly half of those people are in Ethiopia, research has estimated. (

NPR

The fight to beat neglected tropical diseases was going well. 2025 could change that

by Jonathan Lambert December 10, 2025December 10, 2025

The campaign to prevent and treat these diseases has seen great success thanks to a USAID program. Now that program is gone.

Ugandans in Kabale queue up for treatment for river blindness, a "neglected tropical disease" caused by a parasitic roundworm and transmitted by the bite of the black fly. The drug ivermectin, donated by a pharmaceutical company, kills the roundworm larvae. But now there's a freeze on the U.S. aid program that distributes the drug.

NPR

‘Neglected tropical diseases’ now face even more neglect

by Patrick Adams June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

U.S. aid cuts could jeopardize the supply of donated drugs that are hailed for their effectiveness in combating neglected diseases like river blindness, schistosomiasis and trachoma.

{{ index + 1 }}
{{ track.track_title }} {{ track.track_artist }} {{ track.album_title }} {{ track.length }}

{{list.tracks[currentTrack].track_title}}{{list.tracks[currentTrack].track_artist && typeof sonaar_music.option.show_artist_name != 'undefined' ? ' ' + sonaar_music.option.artist_separator + ' ' + list.tracks[currentTrack].track_artist:''}}

{{classes.speedRate}}X