Global progress in combating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) continues despite financial and logistical setbacks, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday.
The Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases 2025 provides the most comprehensive assessment yet of global efforts to meet the 2030 targets established in WHO’s Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021–2030.
The report celebrates two decades of coordinated global action against diseases that disproportionately affect the world’s poorest communities.
According to WHO, neglected tropical diseases affect more than one billion people worldwide, primarily in low-income regions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Dr. Daniel Ngamije Madandi, Acting Director for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases at WHO, praised the resilience of global health teams working under difficult circumstances.
“Despite multiple challenges, NTD programmes continue to deliver important results, freeing large sectors of populations from these ancient diseases,” Dr. Madandi told The Daily National News.
He added that the progress reflects the dedication of governments, health workers, and international partners working toward eliminating the diseases by 2030.
The WHO report highlights significant achievements over the past five years, including the eradication of several NTDs in multiple countries and improved access to preventive treatment for millions of at-risk individuals.
However, it also warns that progress is uneven, with gaps in disease surveillance, funding, and equitable healthcare access continuing to slow global momentum.
The report underscores the importance of partnerships between governments, pharmaceutical companies, and philanthropic organizations in sustaining the fight against NTDs.
Since WHO consolidated disease-specific efforts into one unified programme in 2005, the agency has successfully brought together key global health stakeholders under a common framework.
This coordinated approach has led to reductions in infections from diseases such as lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, and river blindness.
Despite these advances, WHO notes that deaths from vector-borne diseases such as dengue and leishmaniasis remain stubbornly high.
Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure also remains limited in many endemic regions, leaving millions at risk.
The report calls for renewed investment in diagnostic tools, improved disease monitoring systems, and equitable access to essential medicines.
A major concern highlighted in the 2025 report is the sharp drop in official development assistance for NTD programmes.
Between 2018 and 2023, international aid for NTDs fell by 41%, creating funding gaps that threaten recent gains.
WHO is urging affected nations to prioritize domestic resource mobilization and strengthen local health systems to reduce dependency on foreign aid.
The report identifies diagnostics, monitoring and evaluation, access and logistics, and advocacy and funding as the four most critical areas requiring urgent attention.
Health experts interviewed by The Daily National News said that without significant new investments, the world risks missing the 2030 elimination targets.
They also warned that the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and global conflicts have diverted attention and resources from NTD control programmes.
The WHO emphasizes that tackling NTDs is not just a health issue but a social justice imperative, as these diseases perpetuate cycles of poverty and inequality.
Dr. Madandi reiterated the need for global solidarity, stating, “The fight against neglected tropical diseases is a test of our collective commitment to equity and universal health coverage.”
He added that the international community must redouble efforts to ensure that no one is left behind in the quest to end these preventable and treatable diseases.
Despite funding challenges, WHO’s Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases 2025 concludes with cautious optimism that coordinated global action can still achieve the 2030 targets if current momentum is sustained.
