Champions of Change: Neglected Tropical Disease medicine donations transform communities affected by onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis

Thanks to the generous donations of pharmaceutical companies like Merck, GSK, and Eisai, life-saving medicines are reaching those who need them most, transforming lives and communities affected by river blindness (onchocerciasis) and elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis).

ESPEN joined the 71^st meeting of the Mectizan Expert Committee and Albendazole Coordination held in Paris, France from 9 -10 April 2024. At the meeting ESPEN presented regional and country progress towards elimination of both diseases, highlighting the need for a solution for the elimination of onchocerciasis in Central African countries that are also endemic for Loiasis (African eyeworm), limiting the use of ivermectin at community level. ESPEN also expressed continued commitment to provide countries with the required technical support to strengthen last mile delivery and supply chain of donated medicines to maximize efficient use and minimize wastage.

While deeply appreciative to the pharmaceutical companies for the donations of medicines which have made positively impacted lives, the meeting called on the pharmaceutical companies to renew their commitment to donate medicines for triple therapy (mectizan, albendazole, and diethylcarbamazine) used for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis, for countries that need the medicines beyond 2025.

The Mectizan Expert Committee is a group that oversees the distribution and donation review process for Mectizan, a medication used to treat river blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis. The MEC works in coordination with various stakeholders, including the World Health Organization (WHO), ministries of health, non-governmental organizations, and local communities in endemic regions. The Mectizan Donation Programme is a public-private partnership that coordinates Merck & Co., Inc. (also known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) donation of Mectizan. Albendazole and diethylcarbamazine also used for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis are donated by GSK Plc., and Eisai Co. Ltd respectively.

The WHO African region bears 99 percent of the global burden of river blindness with 29 endemic countries and 38 percent of global burden of lymphatic filariasis with 32 endemic countries. Steady progress has been made in elimination of these diseases, with 2 countries, Malawi and Togo validated for elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.