Let’s Unite and Act to Eliminate NTDs

On World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day 2026, celebrated annually on January 30, Ifakara Health Institute joins partners around the world in recognizing this important day—whose theme this year is “Unite. Act. Eliminate”.

According to WHO global reports, “58 countries have now eliminated at least one NTD”, yet “1.4 billion people [are] requiring interventions against NTDs”, and there has been a “41% decline in NTD aid between 2018 and 2023.”

What Are NTDs?

Neglected tropical diseases are a group of preventable or treatable conditions affecting more than 1 billion people worldwide. Examples include lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, trachoma, soil-transmitted helminth infections, onchocerciasis (river blindness), and rabies. These diseases are often neglected because they primarily affect some of the world’s most overlooked and hardest-to-reach populations.

Ifakara’s work on NTDs

Ifakara, in collaboration with its partners, has been at the forefront of combating rabies in Tanzania through research, vaccination campaigns, and One Health approaches, aiming for elimination by 2030. Our work includes improving post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) access and vaccine supply, addressing transmission between animals and humans, and supporting global rabies control efforts.

With continued collaboration, we can achieve a world free of NTDs, building a safer and more resilient future for everyone.