Geneva:The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning that cuts in funding and decreasing international support may reverse the progress made against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Despite significant advancements in the prevention and treatment of these diseases globally, the WHO emphasizes the fragility of these gains.
According to Kenya News Agency, the WHO’s 2026 Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases indicates that 63 countries successfully eliminated at least one NTD by June 2026, an increase from 42 countries at the end of 2020. Additionally, the report highlights a reduction in the number of people requiring interventions for NTDs, which fell to 1.41 billion in 2024—a 36% decline since 2010 and a 19% reduction since 2020.
The report details significant reductions in certain diseases, such as a 98% decrease in sleeping sickness cases since 1999 and only 10 human cases of guinea worm disease recorded in 2025. However, it warns that resources for NTD programs are still 30% below pre-COVID-19 levels, with some facing almost complete loss of funding.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the need for sustained investment from governments and development partners to maintain these achievements. He called for increased domestic financing, continued external support, and the integration of NTD services into primary healthcare.
The report also notes challenges such as uneven progress, with dengue fever cases reaching a record 15.1 million in 2024 and rising deaths from vector-borne NTDs. Efforts to eradicate yaws are also lagging. Only three disease-specific indicators met their 2025 targets, and gaps in data hinder effective progress monitoring.
The WHO highlights the concentration of international development assistance for NTDs among a few donors, accounting for nearly 80% of funding from 2018 to 2024. This dependency has led to disruptions in treatment, surveillance, case management, and vector control, with donated medicines at risk of expiration.
Despite these challenges, countries are integrating NTD interventions into national health strategies and budgets. The adoption of WHO’s skin NTD strategy has already exceeded the 2030 target. Scientific advances have broadened treatment options, with new medicines and vaccines receiving regulatory approval.
The report calls for increased domestic financing, integration of NTD services into universal health coverage, and adaptation of programs to conflict and climate change. It urges donors to diversify support across NTD interventions and encourages recipient countries to broaden their funding sources.
WHO’s 2021-2030 roadmap aims to significantly reduce the global burden of NTDs, eliminate at least one NTD in 100 countries, and eradicate Guinea worm disease and yaws by 2030.
