Infectious diseases remain key agents of the debilitating poverty – WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) 2012 Global Report for Research on Infectious Diseases of Poverty says infectious diseases remain key agents of the debilitating poverty afflicting so much of the world today. The report states further that these diseases kill almost nine million people each year, many of them children under five, and they also cause enormous burdens through life-long disability. It notes that stepping up research into their causes and how to effectively treat them and prevent them from spreading can have an enormous impact on efforts to lift people out of poverty and to build a better world for future generations. The report outlines ten areas where research on infectious diseases of poverty can make major improvements; these form the framework for the rest of the report. It also focuses on specific themes: the environment, health systems, and innovation and technology. Implementation of the actions proposed in this report should help improve current research...