Table 3 Examples of where other health and non-health sectors (private, public and not-for-profit) could synergize NTD efforts

Veterinary

• Disease surveillance (clinical and laboratory)

• Field related logistics

• One Health initiative

Policy

• Legislation

• Assigning and/or increasing programme budgets

• Streamlining financial flows to support effective supply chains

• Implement strategies to promote economic development of affected populations (e.g. micro enterprises, revolving funds, etc.)

Economic

• Cost and feasibility studies

Marketing

• Tap on private sector expertise and adapt to use in health programmes

Communication

• Adapt private and public sector strategies

Pharmaceutical

• In conjunction with national academia and other organizations (e.g. Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)), support development of new drugs and diagnostics

Environmental

• Programmes targeting sustainable environment protection actions to prevent severe environmental degradation in NTD areas

Information Technology (IT)

• Integrated information systems

• Access to inter-sectoral data bases

• Geographic information systems

• New surveillance systems

Transportation

• Private companies (e.g. beverage sector) support public health interventions

Malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS

• Include NTDs in a repackaging of public health interventions

• Malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS benefit from integrated synergies

• NTDs benefit from high media profile of the three big ones

Agriculture

• Encourage community development in NTD endemic areas by

 • enabling local produce and self-sufficiency;

 • organic farming;

 • assistance in placing produce in markets; and

 • One Health initiative

Education

• Access to rural and marginalized population groups

• Sensitizing in health and environment topics

• Incorporating health into educational messages and curricula

Anthropology

• Provide tools to enable integration of local cultural patterns into public health programmes

Psychology

• Integrated mental health programmes relying on ethical and culturally sensitive tools supporting vulnerable populations

Development

• Poverty alleviation programmes

• Capacity building in income generating activities