Boost for fight to end neglected tropical diseases
By Allen Valentine, June 30, 2025Over 80 countries and organisations in Africa have declared their commitment to ending the suffering caused by Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
NTDs affect more than one billion people globally, primarily in vulnerable communities.
The commitments have been delivered through the endorsement of the Kigali Declaration on NTDs.
Three years after its launch by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, the Kigali Declaration on NTDs has catalysed significant political will across the continent, cross-country collaboration, and more than $1.8 billion in financial and in-kind support.
Endorsements have grown substantially, from 57 entities in 2022 to 84 today, demonstrating sustained and growing global support at the highest levels.
Country leadership remains central to progress, with new signatories continuing to join the Declaration. Sudan recently became a signatory, showcasing their continued political engagement and national commitment to ending these debilitating diseases.
In Africa, the impact is particularly severe. Africa bears a significant burden of NTDs, with nearly 40 per cent of the global burden originating from the region. These diseases have a profound impact on health, education, and economic productivity.
“We can confidently say this is not where we started, and that’s worth celebrating. Every decision by a country to endorse the Kigali Declaration represents a step toward eliminating diseases that continue to devastate lives. What we need now is a concrete, sustained commitment to go further and faster. That’s exactly what it will take to reach the goal of eliminating NTDs by 2030,” said Dr Isatou Touray, Executive Director of Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Yet as the global community celebrates the progress achieved to date, it is also urgently working to respond to large-scale cuts to official development assistance (ODA) that now threaten these achievements.
The pharmaceutical industry has committed more than 28 billion units of medicine to prevent and treat NTDs through 2030. Notable recent milestones include Merck’s delivery of its five billionth donated dose of Mectizan, GSK distributing its 12 billionth donated dose of albendazole, and Novartis nearly doubling its investment in research and development for NTD treatments.
Additionally, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership announced a €46 million fund dedicated to NTD research earlier this year.
To ensure transparency, the Kigali Declaration Commitment Tracker enables stakeholders to monitor progress, track funding, and inspire additional investments essential for sustaining momentum toward 2030 targets.