High-level meeting reaffirms shared commitment to strengthen cross-border collaboration and accelerate elimination of malaria and neglected tropical diseases

A high-level meeting convened on 20 May on the margins of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly brought together global and regional leaders, Member States, donors, partners and technical experts to accelerate progress towards the elimination of malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

The meeting underscored the importance of strong cross-border collaboration, exchange of best practices, and integrated multi-disease approaches to sustain gains, expand access to essential health services, and protect vulnerable populations across Africa and beyond.

The event was convened by the African Union Commission and the World Health Organization/Global Onchocerciasis Network for Elimination, in collaboration with partners including the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), The END Fund, the Task Force for Global Health/Health Campaign Effectiveness Coalition, and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.

A high burden of disease requiring immediate action

Malaria and NTDs remain major global health challenges. Malaria alone affects an estimated 282 million people annually and causes approximately 610 000 deaths, with young children and pregnant women most at risk. NTDs impact nearly one billion people, with 1.4 billion requiring interventions each year. Global targets for 2030 include a 90% reduction in malaria cases and deaths and in the number of people requiring NTD interventions, the elimination of at least one NTD in 100 countries and malaria in at least 35 countries, and the prevention of disease resurgence.

Despite significant progress over the past two decades - driven by expanded access to treatment, preventive campaigns, improved surveillance, and coordinated national efforts - new challenges threaten these gains. Weak health systems, insufficient financing, resistance to drugs and insecticides, climate change, and workforce shortages continue to hinder progress. Recent declines in global health funding have added urgency to the need for more efficient, sustainable approaches.

Dr Daniel Ngamije Madandi, WHO Director of Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, emphasized the progress achieved to date while warning that these gains remain fragile: "Today's progress shows what is possible: the number of people requiring interventions against neglected tropical diseases has decreased from 2.2 billion in 2010 to 1.4 billion in 2024; today, 63 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease, bringing us closer to the global target of 100 countries by 2030. At the same time, since 2000, 2.3 billion malaria cases and 14 million deaths have been averted. Over the past 70 years, 47 countries and one territory have been certified malaria-free, and 37 countries reported fewer than 1000 malaria cases in 2024. These gains reflect strong national leadership and partnership, but they remain fragile as malaria and NTDs do not respect borders.

For countries entering the final mile, success will depend on integrated health systems, stronger cross-border collaboration, and reaching the most vulnerable and mobile populations. WHO remains committed to supporting through technical guidance, surveillance, innovation, and coordination, while continuing to strengthen its own country-focused approach. If we act together with urgency and unity, a future free of malaria and neglected tropical diseases is within reach."

Moving towards integration and cross-border collaboration

High-level panels held during the meeting included senior representatives and leadership from ten African countries, including the Ministers of Health of Liberia, Senegal and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Participants emphasized that sustaining momentum will require strong political leadership, prioritization of elimination targets, and the integration of malaria and NTD services into national health systems. Moving beyond fragmented, disease-specific approaches toward more resilient, integrated health services is essential to maintaining high coverage and ensuring long-term impact.

The meeting highlighted the critical importance of cross-border collaboration. As diseases and vectors move across borders due to human mobility and climate change, progress in one country can be undermined by high transmission in neighboring regions. Border areas - often characterized by limited access to health services and high population movement - require targeted interventions to ensure equitable access to prevention and care.

Dr Ibrahima Sy, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Senegal, highlighted the importance of national ownership and regional coordination: "For countries such as Senegal, elimination efforts are based on equity and adaptability. The decline in external funding has been a strong signal urging us to accelerate our transition toward greater health sovereignty and to mobilize more domestic resources. We are committed to strengthening regional coordination, improving cross-border surveillance, and ensuring that no community is left behind as we work toward the sustainable control and ultimate elimination of these diseases."

The meeting also highlighted growing regional momentum to address the cross-border drivers of disease transmission, including migration, population movement, trade, and climate-related risks, through coordinated surveillance, information sharing, and joint preparedness and response mechanisms. In a significant step forward, and building on recent political commitments, including a Call for Action endorsed by African Ministers at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, countries shared their efforts to develop a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cross-border collaboration to combat NTDs, which is now being extended to include malaria, thus signaling a concrete commitment to more structured and sustained regional cooperation. Leaders emphasized that this collective effort is essential to protect vulnerable populations, strengthen health system resilience, and accelerate progress toward elimination targets and broader health security goals. The MoU on cross-border collaboration to combat malaria and NTDs is expected to represent a framework for coordinated action leading to accelerated disease elimination efforts and sustained progress across borders.

Dr Carol Karutu, Vice-President, The END Fund, stressed the importance of coordinated and evidence-based approaches to sustain progress: "Achieving lasting impact against neglected tropical diseases requires a coordinated push that aligns governments, donors, pharmaceutical companies and implementing partners around scalable and evidence-based approaches. We are seeing strong momentum where countries invest in integrated health systems and prioritize equitable access to care. The challenge now is to accelerate the sharing of best practices and support cross-border strategies that can prevent reinfection and sustain elimination gains, particularly among the most vulnerable populations."

Eliminating malaria and NTDs is essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal target 3.3 and contributes to broader development outcomes, including poverty reduction, food security, and improved education. During the meeting, WHO and partners called for sustained investment, innovation, and collaboration to protect hard-won gains and accelerate progress toward a world free of malaria and NTDs.