ESPEN Annual Report 2025: Now available

Brazzaville (Congo) - The Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) has released its Annual Report 2025, documenting a year of sustained progress towards the elimination of preventive chemotherapy NTDs (PC-NTDs) across the WHO African Region, achieved amid significant funding disruptions including the USAID funding freeze that affected 16 countries.

The report sets out regional performance against the WHO NTD Road map 2021–2030 and is informed by the new ESPEN Strategy 2026–2030, which emphasizes country leadership, system strengthening, data and analytics, and integrated delivery.

Key highlights from the report include:

• 305.6 million people treated for at least one PC-NTD in 2024, representing nearly 60% coverage of the population in need.
• Niger verified by WHO as the first country in Africa to eliminate onchocerciasis transmission.
• Three countries — Burundi, Mauritania and Senegal — validated for elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, bringing the regional total to nine.
• 44 surveys conducted across 17 countries through ESPEN Collect, strengthening evidence for stop-MDA and post-treatment surveillance decisions.
• US$ 66.9 million in estimated savings through improved supply chain coordination and optimized medicine allocation, including safeguarding of donated medicines in countries affected by funding disruptions.
• Endorsement of the ESPEN Strategy 2026–2030, launching a country-led, integrated approach to accelerate progress towards the 2030 targets.

The report also reviews progress on lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases and schistosomiasis; advances in the ESPEN Laboratory, ESPEN Portal and supply chain systems; the Mwele Malecela Mentorship Programme; and strategic priorities for 2026 and beyond.

Both English and French versions are available here.