During my years working in Malawi’s health system – from clinician and public health officer to leading national public health programmes, and now as Minister of Health – I have seen firsthand how neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) shape people’s lives. I have sat with patients in our hospitals, spoken with families in rural communities, and seen how these diseases keep children out of school, prevent adults from earning a living, and limit dignity and opportunity.
In Malawi, as in many countries around the world, NTDs cause disability, disfigurement and death. This limits the ability of millions of people to live their lives to the fullest and realise their fundamental human rights. These diseases are both a cause and a consequence of inequality – affecting those who already face the greatest barriers to health, education, and economic opportunity, and constraining their ability to live healthy lives and participate fully in society.
