Several African countries unite to combat visceral leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease

A parasite that migrates to the liver, spleen, and bone marrow and, if left untreated, almost always results in the death of its host. Visceral leishmaniasis is, after malaria, the second most deadly parasitic disease in the world, with 20,000 to 30,000 deaths each year, three-quarters of them in East African countries. Six countries in this region—Chad, Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and South Sudan—signed a political agreement on Wednesday, May 21, committing to collaborate to eliminate the disease from the subregion.

The signatories hope to achieve, by 2030, a 90% reduction in new cases, access to treatment within thirty days of the onset of symptoms for almost all patients, and a drop in infant mortality due to this disease. These very ambitious objectives will notably rely on improved access to early diagnosis and rapid treatment, strengthened surveillance, the fight against insect vectors, public awareness, and support for research.

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