January 30th 2026 was World NTD Day, a chance to highlight the continued impact of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) caused by everything from microscopic parasites through to snake bites.
At a time when public health priorities are shifting, the urgency to spotlight NTDs has never been greater. NTDs are overlooked, underfunded and under reported, and impact on the most stressed communities globally. The Durham University led Global Network for NTDs is a proud partner in this fight. Focused on the insect vector borne diseases leishmaniasis and Chagas Disease we seek the understand the protozoan parasites behind these and help develop improved interventions through training and research. Advocacy and engagement is crucial to our efforts and after winning the MRC Outstanding Team Impact Prize in 2024 we used the award to bring together partners from India, Pakistan, Brazil and the U.K. (academic and NGO) and develop three animated videos designed to inform and alert both the general public and healthcare professionals:
Sam’s story - illustrating the quiet spread of the Neglected Tropical Disease cutaneous leishmaniasis to surprising places: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tepiqpqd0QY
Sanjay’s Kala Azar story - the tale of a neglected disease that is spread through the bite of a sandfly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXUX5BiSFUA
Check for Chagas - highlighting the importance of diagnosis of another neglected disease spread via ‘Kissing Bugs' in the Americas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvaFWEKOmBg&feature=youtu.be
Further Information:
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