🤒 Fewer people are ill with tropical diseases

• 122 million fewer people needed treatment for tropical diseases in 2023 compared to the previous year.
• A reduction of 32 percent since 2010.
• The number of people affected by these diseases decreased from 1.9 billion in 1990 to just over 1 billion in 2021.

Reduced disease burden

WHO has published its third global report on neglected tropical diseases. The report shows results from the work against these diseases between 2021 and 2030.

In 2023, 1.495 billion people needed treatment for neglected tropical diseases. That is 122 million fewer than in 2022 and a reduction of 32 percent since 2010.

Between 2015 and 2021, the disease burden decreased from 17.2 million to 14.1 million DALYs. DALY stands for disability-adjusted life years and measures how many years of healthy life are lost due to illness and premature death. The number of deaths linked to these diseases fell from 139,000 to 119,000 during the same period.

The number of people affected by these diseases decreased from 1.9 billion in 1990 to just over 1 billion in 2021.

More people receive treatment

During 2023, 867.1 million people were treated for at least one neglected tropical disease. That was 18 million more than the previous year.

Seven countries received WHO recognition in 2024 for having eliminated a neglected tropical disease.

Medicines and vaccines

Twelve manufacturers donated 19 different types of medicines for tropical diseases at the end of 2024. Since 2011, nearly 30 billion tablets and vials have been delivered to countries. During 2024, 1.8 billion of these were used for treatments.

WHO approved six new medicine formulations, one active pharmaceutical ingredient and a new dengue vaccine during 2024.

WHO facilitated the procurement of over 1 million diagnostic tests for five tropical diseases the same year.

Increased integration

The diseases have been integrated more into national health strategies and plans. More countries have adopted guidelines for managing disabilities related to tropical diseases.

Fourteen African countries had developed national plans to strengthen the sustainability of services against tropical diseases at the end of 2024.

WHO launched a process in 2024 to define research and development priorities for these diseases.

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