The concept of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) emerged more than a decade ago and has been recognised as a valid way to categorise diseases that affect the poorest individuals. Substantial progress in control and elimination has been achieved and policy momentum has been generated through continued bilateral, philanthropic, and non-governmental development organisation (NGDO) support, and donations of drugs from pharmaceutical companies. WHO has defined a Roadmap to reach 2020 targets, which was endorsed by member states in a World Health Assembly Resolution in 2013. NTDs have been included within the Sustainable Development Goal targets and are a crucial component of universal health coverage, conceptualised as "leaving no one behind". WHO reported that more than 1 billion people in 88 countries have benefited from preventive chemotherapy in 2014. The research agenda has defined the need for affordable products (diagnostics, drugs and insecticides). However challenges such as insecurity and weak health systems continue to prevail in the poorest countries, inhibiting progress in scaling up and also in achieving Roadmap goals.

In the past decade, the definition of stroke has been revised and major advances have been made for its treatment and prevention. For acute ischaemic stroke, the addition of endovascular thrombectomy of proximal large artery occlusion to intravenous alteplase increases functional independence for a further fifth of patients. The benefits of aspirin in preventing early recurrent ischaemic stroke are greater than previously recognised. Other strategies to prevent recurrent stroke now include direct oral anticoagulants as an alternative to warfarin for atrial fibrillation, and carotid stenting as an alternative to endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis. For acute intracerebral haemorrhage, trials are ongoing to assess the effectiveness of acute blood pressure lowering, haemostatic therapy, minimally invasive surgery, anti-inflammation therapy, and neuroprotection methods. Pharmacological and stem-cell therapies promise to facilitate brain regeneration, rehabilitation, and functional recovery. Despite declining stroke mortality rates, the global burden of stroke is increasing. A more comprehensive approach to primary prevention of stroke is required that targets people at all levels of risk and is integrated with prevention strategies for other diseases that share common risk factors.

Subarachnoid haemorrhage is an uncommon and severe subtype of stroke affecting patients at a mean age of 55 years, leading to loss of many years of productive life. The rupture of an intracranial aneurysm is the underlining cause in 85% of cases. Survival from aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage has increased by 17% in the past few decades, probably because of better diagnosis, early aneurysm repair, prescription of nimodipine, and advanced intensive care support. Nevertheless, survivors commonly have cognitive impairments, which in turn affect patients' daily functionality, working capacity, and quality of life. Additionally, those deficits are frequently accompanied by mood disorders, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Management requires specialised neurological intensive care units and multidisciplinary clinical expertise, which is better provided in high-volume centres. Many clinical trials have been done, but only two interventions are shown to improve outcome. Challenges that remain relate to prevention of subarachnoid haemorrhage by improved screening and development of lower-risk methods to repair or stabilise aneurysms that have not yet ruptured. Multicentre cooperative efforts might increase the knowledge that can be gained from clinical trials, which is often limited by small studies with differing criteria and endpoints that are done in single centres. Outcome assessments that incorporate finer assessment of neurocognitive function and validated surrogate imaging or biomarkers for outcome could also help to advance the specialty.

Tight control of blood glucose in type 1 diabetes delays onset of macrovascular and microvascular diabetic complications; however, glucose levels need to be closely monitored to prevent hypoglycaemia. We aimed to assess whether a factory-calibrated, sensor-based, flash glucose-monitoring system compared with self-monitored glucose testing reduced exposure to hypoglycaemia in patients with type 1 diabetes.