title: Neglected Tropical Diseases, Cross-Cutting Issues Workshop, 4-6 February 2015, Utrecht, the Netherlands: meeting report.
abstract: In the last decade, work on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) has gained momentum. This was accelerated by the London Declaration on NTDs in January 2012. Work on NTDs has expanded worldwide and many countries have set up NTD control and elimination programs. However, the work has focussed disproportionately on preventive treatment. There is an urgent need for more attention and resources to work with people with NTD-related morbidity and disability. A lot can be gained in the fight against NTDs by combining knowledge and experience from cross-cutting fields. For this reason a workshop was organized bringing together scientists, experts and practitioners from different NTD backgrounds to explore options for cross-cutting strategies, interventions and research in the field of NTDs, particularly focusing on issues related to morbidity management and disability, in the broadest sense. The workshop produced an inventory of cross-cutting issues, an overview of knowledge gaps and research questions, proposals for pilot (research) projects and a list of recommendations. One of the main recommendations is based on the need for baseline data: to review existing indicators used for monitoring and surveillance of NTD-related morbidity and disability in order to identify common indicators that can be shared across NTDs.
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Leprosy Relief, Wibautstraat 137k, 1097 DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands L.Mieras@Leprastichting.nl.
authors.forename: Liesbeth F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Mieras
authors.affiliation: The Leprosy Mission Trust India, CNI Bhavan, 16 Pandit Pant Marg, New Delhi - 10001, India.
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Leprosy Relief, Wibautstraat 137k, 1097 DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: van Brakel
authors.affiliation: Sightsavers, 35 Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3BW, UK.
authors.forename: Helen C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: CBM Central Africa Regional Office, 00200 City Square, Ring Road Parklands, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Martin Kollmann
authors.affiliation: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.affiliation: FAIRMED, Aarbergergasse 29, CH - 3000 Bern 7, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: effect:hope, 90 Allstate Parkway, Suite 200, Markham, Ontario, L3R 6H3 Canada.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wickenden
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009426:Netherlands; D014330:Tropical Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Community based rehabilitation; Disability; Mental health; Morbidity; Neglected tropical diseases; Stigma