Global Progress on Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Decade of Collaboration and Challenges

Strategic Insights -

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the Global report on neglected tropical diseases 2025, highlighting significant progress and challenges in the global fight against these ancient diseases. The report marks the third monitoring of progress towards the 2030 targets set in the Road map for neglected tropical disease 2021-2030. The WHO Director, a.i., Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Dr Daniel Ngamije Madandi, attributed the progress to the dedication of NTD programmes and the support of partners.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of people requiring NTD interventions decreased by 32% from 2010 to 2023, with an estimated 1.495 billion people requiring interventions against NTDs in 2023, 122 million fewer than in 2022.
  • The disease burden dropped from 17.2 million to 14.1 million DALYs between 2015 and 2021, while NTD-related deaths decreased from an estimated 139 000 to 119 000.
  • In 2023, 867.1 million people were treated for at least one NTD, a 18 million increase from 2022.
  • Seven countries were acknowledged by WHO for eliminating an NTD in 2024.
  • Advances in preventive chemotherapy, integrated strategies for skin-NTDs, and national health strategies have been made.
  • WHO prequalified six new medicine formulations, one active pharmaceutical ingredient, and a new dengue vaccine in 2024.
  • 19 different types of NTD medicines were donated by 12 manufacturers, with 1.8 billion tablets and vials delivered to countries since 2011.
  • Partnerships were established or renewed with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund in 2024.

Statistics:

  • 197 million fewer people required NTD interventions between 2010 and 2023.
  • The disease burden dropped by 3.1 million DALYs between 2015 and 2021.
  • NTD-related deaths decreased by 20,000 between 2015 and 2021.
  • 867.1 million people were treated for at least one NTD in 2023.
  • 20 years have passed since WHO consolidated disease-specific activities under a single programme dedicated to all NTDs.

Sources:

  • World Health Organization. Global report on neglected tropical diseases 2025. 2025.
  • WHO. Road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030. 2021.