# Strengthening funding and integration for NTD elimination: insights from the 2025 Annual Meeting of National NTD Programme Managers in the WHO African Region

## TL;DR

This paper discusses insights from a 2025 meeting on NTD elimination in Africa, focusing on funding challenges and the need for integrated health services.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the impact of funding disruptions and proposes strategies for integrating NTD services into national health systems.

## Key findings

- The USAID funding pause disrupted mass drug administration and monitoring in multiple African countries.
- Country experiences emphasized the need for domestic funding and integrated health services.
- Participants stressed political commitment and partnerships to sustain NTD elimination efforts.

## Abstract

The 2025 Annual Meeting of National Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Programme Managers (2025 PMM) in the WHO African Region convened stakeholders in Lomé, Togo, under the theme “Innovating for Acceleration: Pathway to NTD Elimination.” A key focus was the changing funding environment and the necessity for enhanced integration of NTD services within health systems to guarantee sustainable advancement toward the 2030 elimination goals. The conference was convened in the context of substantial disruptions stemming from the USAID funding pause, which interrupted essential mass drug administration (MDA) programmes and epidemiological monitoring activities across multiple nations. Country experiences highlighted the fragility of external funding dependence and underscored the importance of domestic resource mobilization, decentralized implementation, and programmatic integration. Strategic discussions highlighted opportunities to incorporate NTD services into national health financing mechanisms, and routine health campaigns, alongside leveraging digital tools and partnerships. Participants emphasized the urgency of political commitment, sustained investments, and integrated service delivery models to build resilience and close equity gaps. The meeting further underscored the need for bold, country-led responses and multisectoral collaboration to advance NTD elimination efforts in a rapidly evolving global health financing environment.