Neglected Tropical Disease Elimination — 2026-10-09
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Recent developments in neglected tropical disease (NTD) elimination highlight significant milestones in trachoma validation and a critical upcoming verification mission for Chagas disease in Colombia. While funding challenges persist, renewed partnerships and successful mass drug administration campaigns in Nepal and Mozambique demonstrate continued progress toward the 2030 elimination targets.
Neglected Tropical Disease Elimination — 2026-10-09
Top developments
Colombia’s Chagas Disease Verification Mission Scheduled for October
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has announced that an international verification mission for the interruption of vector-borne transmission of Chagas disease will take place in Colombia from October 12 to October 23, 2026. This mission follows a pre-verification process covering 105 prioritized municipalities, where evidence of sustained transmission interruption was consolidated. If successful, this step moves Colombia closer to WHO validation of Chagas elimination as a public health problem.
Nepal Achieves High Coverage in Lymphatic Filariasis MDA Campaigns
A recent study published in April 2026 reported that five districts in Nepal achieved over 65% coverage in mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns using a three-drug regimen (Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine, and Albendazole). This success followed previous failures to pass pre-Transmission Assessment Surveys, demonstrating the effectiveness of intensified MDA efforts in eliminating lymphatic filariasis.
Mozambique Reaches 90% Household Coverage in Malaria MDA
In southern Mozambique, a programmatic mass drug administration campaign for malaria achieved over 90% coverage of target households and individuals in its second round. Although reaching the recommended 80% programmatic coverage remained challenging, the high participation rates indicate strong community engagement and logistical improvements in drug delivery.
WHO Validates Timor-Leste’s Elimination of Trachoma
In September 2026, the World Health Organization validated Timor-Leste as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This makes Timor-Leste the last country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to achieve this milestone, marking a significant regional victory against the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.
Local view
In Latin America, PAHO/WHO is actively supporting regional capacity building through specialized training workshops. In Guyana, a series of "Trachoma Plus" training sessions commenced in September 2026, focusing on health service outreach and molecular diagnostics, supported by the Government of Canada. These initiatives aim to strengthen local surveillance systems for NTDs including trachoma and other parasitic diseases.
Context & numbers
- Global Milestones: As of mid-2026, 64 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease, according to The END Fund.
- Funding Landscape: Despite progress, the sector faces financial headwinds. A June 2025 report highlighted that Official Development Assistance (ODA) cuts are further neglecting NTDs, with 56 countries having eliminated at least one disease as of May 2025.
- Drug Breakthroughs: Acoziborole, a single-dose oral treatment for sleeping sickness, continues to be hailed as a "truly spectacular" breakthrough that simplifies patient care and accelerates eradication efforts.
On the radar
- October 12–23, 2026: WHO/PAHO international verification mission for Chagas disease in Colombia.
- Q3 2026: Results expected for the DNDi-6899 trial for visceral leishmaniasis, which concluded in May 2026.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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