In a landmark achievement, Kenya has been officially validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), commonly known as sleeping sickness, as a public health problem—making it the 10th country to do so. This accomplishment follows years of sustained efforts—including enhanced surveillance across sentinel sites, tsetse fly control, strengthened laboratory diagnostics, and community-centered interventions—that have kept new indigenous cases at bay for over a decade. Though the disease still exists in the environment, Kenya is now transitioning to a vigilant post-validation surveillance phase, ensuring rapid detection and response to any potential resurgence.

Meet Kadija (16) and Hajara (17), two determined girls changing lives in their Kano community. 
As community-directed distributors for the Reaching The Last Mile Fund, implemented through Sightsavers International, they walk for hours under the sun, distributing medicine, educating families, and reaching even the most remote homes.

“We don’t do it for the money,” Hajara says. “We do it because our people need us.”
Together, they’ve helped protect hundreds from diseases like river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. However, their dream extends beyond medicine distribution: They aspire to become medical doctors.
“One day,” Kadija says, “we want to be the ones our community calls when there is a health emergency.” 
They may be young, but their steps are bold. Their journey is just beginning, and it’s filled with hope, service, and a dream to heal even more.

Uganda is making significant strides in the fight against NTDs, moving steadily toward its elimination goals. A recent report by New Vision highlights the country’s progress and growing momentum in line with the WHO 2030 roadmap.

With the backing of the Reaching the Last Mile Fund and strong collaboration from local and global partners, Uganda is demonstrating what sustained commitment and strategic investment can achieve.

“With the support of the Reaching the Last Mile Fund and our dedicated partners, we are optimistic that Uganda will have eliminated this disease in line with the WHO 2030 roadmap.” Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health. 

Oluwadamilare Dauda, a final-year PhD scholar at Osun State University, received the Young Scientist Award from France’s National Veterinary School of Toulouse. This honor recognizes his cutting-edge research into blackfly transmission of onchocerciasis (river blindness). The award also enabled Dauda to deepen his expertise alongside global vector specialists during a summer program in Toulouse—highlighting the importance of international collaboration in infectious disease control. 

WHO Afro’s Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) convened a strategic workshop with key partners from the Reaching the Last Mile Fund—including the Gates Foundation, CIFF, and the END Fund—to align on its 2026–2030 Strategic Framework. Partners played a pivotal role in shaping ESPEN’s six strategic pillars, endorsing its leadership in country support, access to medicines, data systems, and regional coordination. The meeting reinforced ESPEN’s central role in driving cost-effective, integrated approaches to NTD elimination and emphasized the urgent need to translate strategy into action. A joint plan was initiated to expand ESPEN’s support across more countries and domains, with a shared commitment to sustainability, innovation, and equity.