At a high-level session during the EDCTP Forum in Kigali, Ministers of Health, global researchers, donors, and frontline health workers gathered to celebrate recent milestones in the elimination of NTDs and to renew calls for continued investment in research and development. Titled “From Collaboration to Celebration: Towards Sustainable Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases,” the interactive event highlighted the transformative power of science, equity, and political will in addressing diseases that continue to affect over 1 billion people globally, particularly in marginalized communities.
May282025
WHA78 roundtable highlights role of partnerships and pooled funding in advancing NTD elimination
At the 78th World Health Assembly, a Devex-hosted roundtable brought together global health leaders to explore how innovative financing mechanisms are accelerating progress against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The discussion focused on how pooled funding is helping to de-risk innovation, overcome chronic underinvestment in NTDs, and mobilize new sources of support.
A key highlight was the impact of the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, which has become a leading example of how strategic partnerships and collaborative financing can deliver tangible results in NTD elimination efforts.
May272025
WHA78 highlights: milestones, partnerships, and momentum toward NTD elimination
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) were in sharp focus at the 78th World Health Assembly, where global health leaders marked key milestones and deepened commitments to elimination. Merck/MSD celebrated a historic achievement of 5 billion Mectizan treatments donated to combat river blindness and lymphatic filariasis—a powerful testament to decades of sustained public health impact. Meanwhile, the END Fund and the African Union Commission signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate NTD elimination efforts across the continent, aligning with the goals of Agenda 2063 and the Africa Health Strategy.
Additionally, Helen Keller Intl hosted a high-impact side event that brought together health ministers, technical experts, and partners, reinforcing that equity, local leadership, and sustained investment must guide the next chapter of NTD elimination efforts. In another show of regional solidarity, Ministries of Health from across Africa pledged to intensify cross-border collaboration, reaffirming country-driven leadership as essential to ending NTDs.
Apr172025
WHO’s Annual Meeting of National NTD Program Managers in Lomé, Togo
Dr. Rachel Bronzan, Senior Program Officer with the Gates Foundation, shared updates on RLMF’s evolving role in supporting NTD elimination during the April 17 session on the current global health funding landscape. She was joined by Lungi Okoko (Gates) and Herma Gebru (CIFF). Other partners from WHO-HQ, WHO-AFRO, and the African Union and representatives from Angola, Benin, Ethiopia, and Tanzania were in attendance.