Community participation and tropical disease control in resource-poor settings

This document outlines the historical evolution of ideas and practices of community participation in the context of tropical diseases. It shows the extent to which community involvement contributes to the control of main tropical diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, dengue fever and schistomasiasis. The review finds that 'community participation' remains a guiding principle in tropical disease control, but its future success is dependent on sustained and continuous collaboration between external agencies, government and communities