In a bold step toward ending one of the world’s deadliest neglected diseases, six African countries—Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan—have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar.
The commitment was announced during a high-level ceremony held on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, under the auspices of the African Union and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Visceral leishmaniasis is a severe parasitic disease that causes prolonged fever, fatigue, weight loss, and swelling of the spleen and liver. If untreated, it is almost always fatal. Eastern Africa carries more than 70% of the global burden of the disease, and children under the age of 15 account for half of all cases in the region.
At the Geneva event, the six signatory countries were joined by health ministers from Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania. Together, they called for enhanced cross-border cooperation and joint action against visceral leishmaniasis and other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which continue to disproportionately impact the most vulnerable communities.
“Diseases do not stop at borders — and neither should our response,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a message delivered by Dr Landry Tsague Dongmo. “More than 600 million people on our continent remain at risk of at least one NTD.”
NTDs affect over one billion people each year, often trapping them in cycles of poverty and poor health. Despite these challenges, there has been remarkable progress in recent years. As of May 2025, 56 countries have eliminated at least one NTD. In Africa, Togo has eliminated four NTDs, while Benin, Ghana, and India have each eliminated three. More recently, Mauritania, Chad, Guinea, and Niger were recognized by WHO for eliminating one or two NTDs.
Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director of the WHO Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme, emphasized the importance of country-led strategies and collaboration. “As the global community reaches the halfway point toward the 2030 roadmap targets—and nearly a year after Eastern African countries launched a strategic framework for eliminating visceral leishmaniasis—the role of national commitment and cross-border partnership cannot be overstated.”
The newly signed MoU commits the six countries to allocating resources, developing regional strategies, and working together to meet the targets outlined in the 2024 Eastern Africa elimination framework. Ministers of Health from Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria also issued a joint ‘Call for Action’ urging endemic countries to strengthen regional partnerships, share data, and coordinate health policies to tackle NTDs more effectively.
NTDs like visceral leishmaniasis are often transmitted by animals and spread further due to climate change and human migration, making joint planning across borders essential. The Africa CDC, working alongside WHO, has been enhancing cross-border disease surveillance through its Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response framework.
Dr Luis Pizarro, Executive Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), underscored the urgent need for innovation in treatment. “Visceral leishmaniasis patients and their communities urgently need new, improved oral treatments. The recent success of South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, in eliminating kala-azar shows that global elimination is within reach. I commend the inspiring leadership, unity, and commitment shown today by our African partners.”
The Geneva event was convened by the African Union Commission, WHO, and the Global Onchocerciasis Network for Elimination (GONE), with support from the END Fund and DNDi.
As countries across the continent and their partners double down on efforts to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis, this commitment signals a turning point in the fight against a disease that has claimed too many lives for too long.
