Summary of the Global report on neglected tropical diseases 2025

Overview

In 2025, the WHO Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme marks 20 years of action and data. Since its establishment in 2005, a concerted effort involving pharmaceutical manufacturers, development partners, philanthropic organizations, national health authorities and WHO has contributed to a measurable decline in the global burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). This report presents progress made in 2023–2024 towards the 2030 targets set in Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 (the road map), including several important analytical updates

Progress on all overarching, cross-cutting and disease-specific indicators, milestones and targets.  Analysis of disease burden in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), prevalence and mortality, as well as numbers of people affected by NTDs, detected and treated.  New perspectives on the financial risk associated with NTDs, highlighting their impoverishing effects on affected populations.  A detailed review of four thematic areas – diagnostics, monitoring and evaluation, access and logistics, and advocacy and funding – enabled by the Gap Assessment Tool (GAT).  Analysis of official development assistance for NTDs in the context of a constrained and evolving financial landscape.

Overall performance

In 2023, an estimated 1.495 billion people required interventions against NTDs, 122  million fewer than in 2022 and a 32% decrease from the 2010 baseline. Between 2015 and 2021, the disease burden dropped from 17.2 million to 14.1 million DALYs, while NTD-related deaths decreased from an estimated 139 000 to 119 000. The number of people affected by NTDs declined from 1.9 billion in 1990 to just over 1 billion in 2021. In 2023, 867.1 million people were treated for at least one NTD, 99% of whom received preventive chemotherapy.