On World NTD Day, I found myself thinking about the diseases we rarely talk about—not because they are rare, but because they affect people whose lives remain largely invisible. Neglected Tropical Diseases thrive in conditions shaped by poverty, inadequate sanitation, unsafe water, and limited access to healthcare. They are deeply connected to where people live and how they survive.

Through my work in films and photography, I have spent time with communities where health is shaped less by choice and more by circumstance. Listening to people’s stories, observing everyday struggles, and documenting lived realities has made it clear that disease is never just biological—it is social, economic, and deeply structural.
What makes these diseases “neglected” is not only the lack of medical attention but the absence of sustained public conversation. Despite affecting millions, they rarely feature in headlines, policy debates, or everyday health discussions. And yet, many of these conditions are preventable, treatable, and in some cases, entirely eliminable.

This article looks at why Neglected Tropical Diseases continue to exist in the shadows, how they disproportionately affect rural and marginalised communities, and why acknowledging them is essential to building a more equitable public health system. Because when we begin to see the diseases we don’t see, we also begin to see the people living with them—and the gaps that allow such inequities to persist.

Read the full piece at the link below.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/presbyopic/world-ntd-day-the-diseases-we-dont-see/

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