Did you know that January 30th is World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day? Most people don’t, but it’s true!
This day marks the beginning of a year-long effort to raise awareness about these diseases and encourage governments, pharmaceutical companies and other organizations to take action against them. Neglected tropical diseases are a group of infectious diseases that have historically been overlooked by international health organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO). These diseases affect over 1 billion people around the world—that’s more than malaria or tuberculosis!
For example:
Hookworm causes anemia by sucking blood from its host.
Leishmaniasis causes skin sores and disfigurement on exposed parts of the body.
Schistosomiasis can cause severe damage to internal organs such as the liver, lungs and kidneys if left untreated for long periods of time.
If you want to participate in the celebration, all you have to do is go out and find a puzzle of some kind! A crossword or word search should be easy since they’re both readily available at most stores that sell books. If your friends aren’t into those types of puzzles, then consider some other options such as jigsaw puzzles or brain teasers.
