Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria -The World Health Organization (WHO) urges countries to place mental health care at the centre of treatment for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), warning that disease control efforts will fall short if psychological and social impacts are ignored.
In new guidance released on Wednesday, WHO introduces an Essential Care Package (ECP) designed to help countries integrate mental health support and stigma reduction into existing NTD programmes. The agency says growing evidence shows that people affected by NTDs face significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety and emotional distress than the general population.
With more than one billion people worldwide living with NTDs, WHO stresses that treating physical symptoms alone is insufficient. Stigma, discrimination and social exclusion often deepen suffering and undermine treatment adherence.
“NTDs take a far greater toll on mental and social well-being than is often recognised,” says Dr Daniel Ngamije Madandi, Director of WHO’s Department of Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases.
The ECP outlines practical roles for individuals, families, communities, health workers and health system leaders. It encourages early recognition of distress, access to peer support, and awareness of rights to healthcare, education and employment.
For frontline health workers, the guidance recommends routine mental health screening, basic psychosocial support, clear referral pathways and training to reduce stigma within health facilities.
At the system level, WHO calls for closer coordination between mental health and NTD programmes, including integrated data collection, community-based peer support and collaborative care models.
“Integration fails when it is treated as an optional extra,” says Professor Julian Eaton, Senior Lecturer in Global Mental Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
About the Author
Chukwu Obinna 
Oluwafunbi Bello