Pinheiro EdS, Araújo CEL, Cunha ESM, Rocha AMd, Galvão DLN, de Souza EA, da Silva MPCAM, Ramos Jr AN. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2026, 20(5): e0014336. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0014336
Summary: In Brazil, people living with neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), together with community organizations, researchers, and health professionals, created the Brazilian Social Forum for Combating Infectious and Neglected Diseases. The Forum allows affected leaders to learn, organize, and negotiate directly with governments and international partners. It has helped bring NTDs and their social consequences onto national agendas and supported the creation of a National Movement for Neglected Diseases. The authors of this article show how this experience can guide other countries, argue that NTD programs should not be considered successful unless affected communities participate in decision-making, and outline practical steps for governments, the WHO, and donors to fund, protect, and measure meaningful participation as a core component of NTD policy.
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