Commentary: improving the health of neglected populations in Latin America

Abstract

Neglected diseases encompass a group of pathologies that disproportionally affect resource-constrained areas of the world. In tropical and subtropical areas in Latin America, the vicious cycle of poverty, disease and underdevelopment is widespread. The burden of disease associated to neglected diseases in this region is mainly expressed through diseases such as malaria, dengue, intestinal parasitic infections, Chagas' disease, and many others. These maladies have burdened Latin America throughout centuries and have directly influenced their ability to develop and become competitive societies in the current climate of globalization. Therefore, the need for a new paradigm that integrates various public health policies, programs, and a strategy with the collaboration of all responsible sectors is long overdue. In this regard, innovative approaches are required to ensure the availability of low-cost, simple, sustainable, and locally acceptable strategies to improve the health of neglected populations to prevent, control, and potentially eliminate neglected diseases. Improving the health of these forgotten populations will place them in an environment more conducive to development and will likely contribute significantly to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in this area of the globe.

Mapping malaria in municipalities of the Coffee Triangle region of Colombia using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

“…Although there have been significant reductions in malaria incidence in the Americas [12], this tropical disease continues to be a public health threat in many countries and certain areas [20], particularly affecting the most vulnerable populations, in locations where people are living in rural and poverty conditions [21]. This is the case for the endemic zones of Colombia, such as those in the Coffee Triangle region, where the malaria burden is still significant in rural municipalities.…”

Poverty as a predisposing factor of illness tendencies in sugar cane workers

“…The inappropriate housing conditions, lack of hygiene, inadequate diet, different risk factors during work and low wages, health service access difficulties and absence of leisure represent social determinants of these workers' illnesses (14) , factors that picture and characterize the poverty situation the workers from the sugar cane mill live in.…”

“…Poverty can determine the appearance of disease due to lack of basic sanitation and environmental hygiene in the places this population lives in, as well as alterations in the individuals' nutritional state, affecting their immunological state and facilitating infections and disease transmission (14)(15) . Moreover, poverty reflects the existence of vulnerability, risks, lack of safety and privation of health, education, income, means of life, decent work, rights, participation, social status and mainly human dignity (5) .…”

Some pharmacological studies on the methanolic extract of <i>Inula graveolense</i> L.

“…For the treatment of diarrhea, medicinal plants are a potential source of antidiarrheal drugs [2]. Due to poor hygiene practices and malnutrition, children in developing countries frequently suffer from various forms of infections which present as fevers [3]. These fevers are often accompanied by aches and pain which all lead to morbidity and mortality.…”