A new plea has been issued for cash to tackle neglected tropical diseases, partly because of the threat posed by climate change.
The World Health Organisation wants nearly three billion US dollars a year to be spent on tackling these diseases.
It says that from 2021 it would then be possible to reduce the investment after successful campaigns against many diseases.
WHO said many countries would benefit from taking action against tropical diseases to protect themselves from the effects of climate change.
Diseases against which WHO wants to step up action include Dengue fever, rabies, trachoma, yaws, leprosy and Chagas disease.
They also include river blindness and schistosomiasis.
Dr Dirk Engels, from WHO, said: “Some of the neglected tropical diseases are no longer strictly tropical.
“The potential for spread provides yet another strong argument for making the needed investments – while ramping up research and development efforts – to bring all these diseases under control and eliminate as many of them as rapidly as possible.”
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