We would know less about certain tropical diseases
In 2016, the Gates Foundation gave a $27 million grant to London’s Natural History Museum as part of an initiative to address neglected tropical diseases. The project will focus on soil-transmitted helminths: a group of parasitic intestinal worms including roundworm, whipworm, and hookworm that can result in diseases with devastating consequences.
“These diseases severely affect quality of life for millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Developing successful strategies to interrupt the transmission of these infections will alleviate this burden, helping to reduce poverty and having a positive economic impact,” museum director Sir Michael Dixon said in a statement.
