These three diseases are intestinal worms (soil transmitted helminths), snail fever (schistosomiasis) and elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis). Despite lagging behind many other countries in the region in development generally, Cambodia is a leader in the fight against NTDs, meeting targets such as the WHO's anti-worm treatment goal six years ahead of schedule.

Cambodia’s progress in tackling NTDs provides a working model of how, by taking advantage of the drugs, funds and strategies available, NTDs can be controlled with minimal resources. The cross-cutting linkages of NTDs with many other areas of development, and particularly with poverty, makes this case study a useful contribution to understanding progress towards many of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals and beyond.

Romina Rodríguez Pose