The paper explicates the state of the-policies and state of the research on policies to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases in India, highlights the significant gaps in the diseases covered, balance in the objectives, comprehensiveness of policies, portfolio of outcomes, and involvement of entities.
Authors
Ajay Chandra, School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Chanakya University, Bengaluru, India.
S. D. Sreeganga, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Nibedita Rath, Open Source Pharma Foundation, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, India.
Arkalgud Ramaprasad, Information and Decision Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Summary
The need for systemic healthcare policies to systematically eliminate NTDs globally and in India has been stressed for more than two decades. Yet, the present policies and the research on them do not meet the need. We present an ontological framework, a research roadmap, and a policy brief to address the gap. The ontology clearly, concisely, and comprehensively represents the combinations of diseases, the objectives regarding the diseases, the entities to address them, the outcomes sought, and the potential policy instruments to invoke.
The paper explicates the state of the-policies and state of the research on policies to eliminate NTDs in India. It highlights the significant gaps in the diseases covered, balance in the objectives, comprehensiveness of policies, portfolio of outcomes, and involvement of entities. Last, it presents a set of systemic policies congruent with the ontology to systematically address the gaps.
The recommendations are aligned with the present research, policies, practices, and recommendations in India and of the WHO, UN agencies, and other similar bodies. The approach can be generalized to provide roadmaps for other countries facing a similar challenge and for other diseases of similar complexity. The roadmaps, with continuous feedback and learning, can help navigate the challenge efficiently and effectively.
Published in: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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