Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) 2025: Stronger Together, Towards 2030

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) remain among the world’s most persistent public health challenges. They disproportionately affect over one billion people, primarily among the poorest and most vulnerable communities. The Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases 2025 was released by the World Health Organization (WHO). It marks a vital milestone in tracking global and regional progress. This progress is towards the 2030 targets established by the WHO NTD Road Map. As we reflect on two decades of collective action, collaboration, and breakthroughs, this latest report also signals a critical juncture. Momentum must be sustained, and strategic vision refreshed. This effort is necessary to counter emerging threats, including financing constraints and climate change.

For public health leaders, policymakers, health workers, and civil society in Nepal, this moment offers an urgent call. The same urgent call exists for those in the broader South-East Asia Region. They need to unite. Act. Eliminate. This blog post is targeted to the audience of PHC Nepal. It distills the latest findings from the 2025 Global Report. It also explains the regional implications. It also highlights practical calls to action for Nepal, South Asia, and other high-burden settings. It embeds hyperlinked resources and relevant tags. Actionable recommendations are provided throughout.

The 2025 Global NTD Report: A New Decade of Progress and Challenge

2025 at a Glance: Key Global Milestones

The WHO Global NTD Programme’s twentieth anniversary in 2025 is cause for celebration. It also serves as a critical checkpoint in the international movement to end NTDs. According to the Global Report on NTDs 2025:

The number of people requiring interventions against NTDs fell to 1.495 billion in 2023—a reduction of 122 million from the previous year and 32% lower than the 2010 baseline.
Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to NTDs dropped from 17.2 million (2015) to 14.1 million (2021), and deaths fell from 139,000 to 119,000 during the same period.
Seven additional countries achieved elimination of at least one NTD in 2024. This achievement raised global elimination success to over 50 countries in the past decade.
867.1 million people were treated for at least one NTD in 2023, 99% via preventive chemotherapy.
30 billion doses of NTD medicines have been distributed globally since 2011, including 1.8 billion in 2024 alone.

Key Achievements

Integration across programs: Broader adoption of cross-cutting strategies (e.g., skin-NTDs), improved inclusion of NTDs in national health policies, expansion of guidelines for managing NTD-related disabilities.
Innovation: WHO prequalified six new medicine formulations and a new dengue vaccine; launched new R&D priorities for NTDs.
Capacity-building: 33 new online courses in 2024, with a cumulative 102 courses across 37 topics and 15 languages since 2020.
Advocacy and partnerships: We have established new collaborations with Gavi (rabies). We are also partnering with the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund. Moreover, we are engaging in global forums like the UN General Assembly, G7, and G20.

Persistent Challenges

Despite clear progress, the report underscores significant barriers threatening the sustainability of NTD control and elimination:

Funding downturn: Official development assistance (ODA) for NTDs dropped 41% from 2018–2023, jeopardizing program delivery, innovation, and medicine supply.
Slower movement on vector-borne diseases, WASH, and equity: There are limited gains in reducing deaths from vector-borne NTDs. Efforts to expand water/sanitation/hygiene (WASH) have not fully succeeded. Populations remain unprotected from catastrophic out-of-pocket health spending.
Data and gender gaps: Persisting inadequacies in complete reporting, gender-disaggregated data, and harmonized multisectoral approaches.

Quantitative Progress: Indicators, Metrics, and The 2030 Road Map

A Data-Driven Approach: Overarching, Cross-Cutting, and Disease-Specific Targets

The 2025 Global Report evaluates performance. The evaluation is measured against Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals: A Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021–2030. The road map sets three tiers of targets:

Overarching Indicators: (1) Achieve a 90% reduction in people requiring NTD interventions by 2030. (2) Accomplish a 75% reduction in NTD-related DALYs. (3) Ensure that 100 countries eliminate at least one NTD. (4) Eradicate dracunculiasis and yaws.
Cross-Cutting Targets: 40 countries are adopting skin-NTD strategies. The integrated PC coverage index is 75%. There is 100% access to basic WASH in endemic areas. 90% of countries are including NTDs in essential health packages. And more targets are to be achieved.
Disease-Specific Targets: Milestones for individual NTDs (e.g., elimination of visceral leishmaniasis deaths by 2030, validation of lymphatic filariasis elimination in ≥80% of endemic countries, and zero trachoma as a public health problem globally).

Indicator Type	2023–2025 Progress	2030 Target
Overarching	1.495B people needing intervention (↓32%)	↓90% from 2010 baseline
Cross-Cutting	7 new countries eliminated an NTD in 2024	100 countries by 2030
Disease-Specific	867M treated; reduction in DALYs/mortality	Elimination or eradication per roadmap

The Compendium of Indicators and the new Gap Assessment Tool (GAT) add qualitative dimensions. They identify programmatic strengths and gaps across diagnostics, monitoring/evaluation, access/logistics, advocacy, and funding.

Regional Focus: South-East Asia and Nepal’s Journey

South-East Asia: Gains, Gaps, and Leadership

The WHO South-East Asia Region continues to be a global epicenter for NTD burden but also for innovation, resilience, and progress:

16 NTDs remain endemic across all 11 SEAR Member States.
Seven SEA countries have eliminated at least one NTD. Most recently, Sri Lanka achieved lymphatic filariasis elimination. Bhutan achieved trachoma elimination.
860 million people in the region received mass drug administration (MDA) or targeted interventions in 2023. This represents the world’s largest NTD medicine campaign.
833 million people still require NTD services, primarily in high-risk, underserved, and remote communities.
The SEAR NTD Strategic Framework (2024–2030) emphasizes:
1. Country ownership and multisectoral leadership
2. Accelerated, integrated programmatic actions
3. Intensified equity, innovation, and resilient health systems

Persistent gaps: Inadequate health system capacity, funding shortfalls, social determinants (poverty, education, gender), limited access to technological innovations, and growing impacts of climate change (e.g., dengue and leishmaniasis expansion).

Nepal: Progress, Challenges, and Local Innovations

Status of NTDs in Nepal

11 of 21 globally recognized NTDs are present in Nepal. These include lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar), soil-transmitted helminths, dengue, rabies, trachoma, and snakebite envenoming.
Over 30 million people in Nepal remain at risk of NTDs. There is higher prevalence clustered in Province 2, Lumbini, and Sudurpaschim regions. This is especially true in Terai and marginal urban settlements.
Key achievements:
- Leprosy eliminated as a public health priority in 2010.
- Trachoma eliminated in 2018.
- Kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis) new case notifications reduced by 90% since the mid-2000s.
- Snakebite response centers expanded nationwide to 110 facilities.
- Post-MDA validation surveys are ongoing for lymphatic filariasis (LF). Coverage extends over 95 districts for LF MDA. Active deworming programs are in place for STH. Surveillance for cutaneous leishmaniasis has been strengthened.

Control Strategies in Nepal

Mass Drug Administration: >44 million LF treatments (2018–2024).
Integrated Vector Management: Bed nets, indoor residual spraying, and targeted education in high-risk districts.
Active Case Detection and Treatment: Surveillance systems and outreach for leprosy, LF, and leishmaniasis.
Community Engagement: Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) play pivotal roles in education and drug distribution at local levels.
Partnerships and Innovations: A multi-sectoral roundtable was convened in 2024 by Nepal’s MoHP and WHO. Partners, including USAID, BMGF, and PATH, renewed their focus on innovative research. They also emphasized digital and post-elimination surveillance.

Persistent and Emerging Challenges

Funding Gaps: Frequent reports of shortfalls in critical areas (rabies, snakebite, research, outreach).
Logistics: Drug delivery, cold chain, and supply to remote mountain/urban districts.
Knowledge and Stigma: Persistent misconceptions around leprosy and other NTDs drive underreporting and late presentation.
WASH Inequalities: Poorer households, Dalit, and other marginalized groups face severe NTD/WASH risks.
Surveillance Data: Gaps in gender-disaggregated and real-time data for programmatic decision-making.

Cross-Cutting Themes: Diagnostics, Monitoring, Equity, and Climate Preparedness

The Gap Assessment Tool (GAT) and the Four Pillars

2025 marks the global rollout of the Gap Assessment Tool (GAT), which uses both quantitative and qualitative inputs to assess progress and bottlenecks in four priority program dimensions:

1. Diagnostics

Critical for early case detection, surveillance, and program integration.
Gaps: There is a need for integrated diagnostic tools that encompass multiple NTDs and zoonotic diseases. The expansion of point-of-care platforms is also necessary. Additionally, cost-effective technologies suitable for rural South Asia are needed.
Nepal Action: Expand capacity at peripheral health centers, foster public-private partnerships for innovation, and mainstream diagnostic tools into HMIS.

2. Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)

Integrated digital platforms, harmonized data reporting, and real-time surveillance remain under-resourced globally.
Action: Implement rigorous operational research and conduct routine post-elimination monitoring. Utilize AI-assisted surveillance, as piloted with WHO’s Skin App in Kenya, with potential for Nepal and SEAR scale-up.

3. Access & Logistics

Sustainable supply chains for drugs, diagnostics, and commodities still vulnerable to funding disruptions and geopolitical instability.
Regions like Nepal must focus on effective forecasting, tax exemption advocacy, and community-informed demand planning to avoid stockouts.

4. Advocacy & Funding

Strategic, cross-sectoral advocacy is vital for securing the next decade of NTD achievements.
Tactics: Align advocacy with SDG-3 (health) and climate adaptation. Elevate NTDs in national development budgets. Encourage transparent and coordinated communication between policymakers and civil society.
Civil Society’s Role: Engage Dalit, women’s, and disability rights groups. Ensure reforms and resource allocation address the needs of marginalized NTD-affected populations.

Gender, Equity, and Rights-Based Approaches

Rights-based advocacy and international commitments (WHA, UN Human Rights Council, General Assembly) are highlighting discrimination faced by women. These commitments also focus on Indigenous peoples. Furthermore, they address discrimination faced by those disabled by NTDs.
Nepal’s WASH/NTD initiatives include the Jagruti Project. It empowers Dalit women to lead digital data collection, advocacy, and local government engagement. This results in safer drinking water and sanitation. The project delivers tangible equity gains across NTD prevention and social justice.
2025 targets demand that 90% of NTD-endemic countries report gender-disaggregated data and mainstream disability management in essential health programs.

Climate Change: The New Frontier in NTD Response

Escalating Threats

Vector-borne NTDs like dengue, leishmaniasis, and chikungunya are expanding into new areas across South Asia. This is due to warmer temperatures and altered rainfall patterns.
2023–24 saw dengue reach crisis levels. There were over 14 million cases and 10,000 deaths globally. WHO declared dengue a grade 3 emergency.
The 2024 WHO scoping review highlights limited published evidence on climate–NTD links. This is especially true in high-burden, low-income countries. It calls urgently for adaptive policy, research investment, and community resilience planning.

What in action?

Integrate climate risk assessments into national NTD roadmaps and health adaptation strategies.
Invest in local research, early warning systems, and flexible service delivery.
Emphasize “One Health” approaches that link human, animal, and environmental health to build resilience against emerging vector-borne diseases.
Prioritize community engagement and public awareness about climate-related NTD risks—as highlighted by the 2025 World NTD Day campaign.

Financing and Resource Mobilization: Trends and Urgent Solutions

Global Aid Trends

ODA for NTDs has fallen sharply—even as overall humanitarian aid and crisis spending increases globally.
Many donors, notably USAID and UK, have withdrawn or reduced NTD funding. This has led to treatment interruptions, research pausing, and job losses.
Official statistics show that as of 2024, only 0.37% of DAC donor GNI is dedicated to global ODA (well below the 0.7% SDG target), and ODA to LDCs and NTD-priority countries has not kept pace with need.

Domestic Resource Mobilization

Nepal and several African and Asian nations now prioritize domestic resource planning for NTD programs.
Essential strategies: Public budget advocacy is crucial. Include NTDs in Universal Health Coverage. They should be part of essential service packages. Integrating NTDs into financing dialogue is important for SDGs. It is also important for climate action.
Civil society organizations should coordinate, share advocacy tools, and push for greater government transparency and accountability in NTD financing.

What Next for Policymakers, Health Workers, and Civil Society?

For Policymakers: Strategies for Country Ownership and Sustainability

Sustain and increase investments: Prioritize NTDs in national health budgets. Seek innovative and integrated funding. Leverage private sector and philanthropic partnerships.
Integrate NTDs within essential service packages and UHC commitments; avoid “projectization” of NTD programs.
Promote robust data systems: Require gender-disaggregated, real-time data and harmonize reporting with broader HMIS.
Prepare for climate impacts: Embed NTDs in national disaster risk reduction and One Health policies.

For Health Workers: Innovation, Capacity, and Community Engagement

Access WHO and national training materials, such as the NTD Training Manual (Lumbini Province, Nepal) and the WHO Academy resources.
Participate in digital M&E innovations—pilot mobile, GIS, and AI tools for surveillance, mapping, and case management.
Lead local health education and advocacy: Health workers (including FCHVs in Nepal) should spearhead stigma reduction. They should also initiate early detection. Additionally, they must promote WASH campaigns.

For Civil Society: Advocacy, Accountability, and Inclusion

Strengthen policy advocacy networks: Share best practices, toolkits, and lessons learned from successful campaigns (e.g., Dalit rights, gender inclusion, anti-stigma).
Engage local government and international partners to increase funding transparency, equitable access, and alignment with global goals.
Document and share innovations: Highlight stories—like Nepal’s Jagruti Project’s female leaders—demonstrating the link between WASH, NTDs, and social justice.
Champion the voices of those affected by NTDs, ensuring marginalized communities are integral to policy development and program design.

At the END: Stronger Together—Nepal and South Asia at the Forefront

The WHO Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases 2025 will be released soon. It serves as a rallying point for the international community. Nepal and the South-East Asia Region are especially impacted. The last two decades have demonstrated significant progress. When governments, health workers, civil society, and affected communities unite, this progress is achievable. Millions have been released from NTD-related suffering. Health systems have been strengthened. Social injustices have been addressed.

Yet, this progress faces existential threats—from funding crises and climate shocks to persistent inequities and data gaps. The next phase will demand even stronger partnerships. It will require smarter innovations and locally-driven resource mobilization. There will also be an unrelenting focus on the people and places too long left behind.

Let us unite—with bold leadership, collective advocacy, and grassroots innovation. Let us act—by raising and sustaining investments, embedding NTD goals in national policies, and building capacity at every level. And let us eliminate—breaking the cycle of disease and poverty for every Nepalese and every global citizen.

For more guidance, action toolkits, and capacity-building resources, visit:

Let’s keep the momentum—share this message, connect with local leaders, and become part of the solution. Stronger together, towards 2030!

Quick Takeaways

NTDs are in retreat but far from vanquished: 32% reduction in intervention need since 2010; but 1.495 billion globally still at risk, including millions in Nepal and South Asia.
Policy, funding, and partnerships require urgent renewal: ODA cutbacks and slowing gains make domestic financing and multisectoral action critical.
Innovation, equity, and resilience must be front and center: Digital diagnostics are essential. Integrated surveillance is important. WASH investment is crucial. Rights-based advocacy is a key to success.
Nepal can lead by example: Leverage community health worker models. Integrate NTD priorities in national policy and budget. Model participatory research and communication strategies.

Please share your thoughts, local experiences, or success stories with PHC Nepal. Together, let’s ensure NTDs become diseases of the past throughout Nepal, South Asia, and beyond!

Discover more from Public Health Concern Nepal

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) 2025: Stronger Together, Towards 2030