Funding shortfall risks reversing gains in NTD control

Kenya has made significant progress in reducing the burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) through mass drug administration, health campaigns, health education and improved water, sanitation and hygiene. This is according to the Kenya National Master Plan for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2023 – 2027.

The number of people requiring interventions has fallen from 21.8 million in 2010 to 8.7 million in 2022, and elephantiasis and onchocerciasis have been nearly eliminated, notes the World Health Organization. 

However, the sustainability of these programmes is threatened by a persistent shortfall in allocated resources, which poses a significant barrier to achieving the disease-specific elimination and eradication targets outlined in the World Health Organization (WHO) 2030 NTD Roadmap.