NAIROBI —In a rare show of unity against a quiet killer, six African nations have pledged to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis better known as kala-azar by signing a joint agreement in Geneva.
Health ministers from Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan signed the deal on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly. The signing, supported by the African Union and the World Health Organization, marks a major step in tackling one of the world’s deadliest and most overlooked diseases.
Kala-azar is caused by a parasite spread through sandfly bites. It attacks the immune system, causing prolonged fever, fatigue, dramatic weight loss, and swelling of the spleen and liver. Left untreated, it is almost always fatal.
More than 70 percent of global cases are found in Eastern Africa. Many victims are children under 15.
“This is a disease that punishes the poor, the young, and the voiceless,” said Dr Luis Pizarro, Executive Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). “We now need new oral treatments and more innovation. Bangladesh has already eliminated kala-azar. Africa can too.”
The agreement commits countries to funding the fight, sharing data across borders, and working toward goals set in a 2024 Eastern Africa strategic plan. That plan includes training health workers, expanding access to medicines, and monitoring outbreaks in remote areas.
The ceremony was more than symbolic. Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania added their voices to the effort, backing a broader call for coordinated action against all neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
“These diseases don’t respect borders,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a statement read on his behalf. “Our response shouldn’t either.”
Over a billion people worldwide live with the threat of NTDs, a group of often-forgotten illnesses that spread in poor communities with little access to clean water or basic health services. In Africa alone, 600 million people remain at risk.
“Strong disease surveillance is key,” added Kaseya, citing Africa CDC’s collaboration with the WHO on a continent-wide monitoring system.
Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, who leads the WHO’s programme on neglected tropical diseases, said the signing came at a crucial time.
“We’re halfway to our 2030 targets,” he said. “If we are to succeed, countries must lead, and they must work together.”
The Geneva meeting was backed by the African Union, WHO, and the Global Onchocerciasis Network for Elimination (GONE), with support from the END Fund and DNDi.
Worldwide, 56 countries have already eliminated at least one NTD. In Africa, Togo has wiped out four. Ghana, Benin and Mauritania have each removed at least one. Progress is real but patchy.
Health officials warn that the job is far from done. Kala-azar continues to thrive in conflict zones and regions where drought, migration, and weak infrastructure make public health efforts harder.
Still, Wednesday’s commitment offers hope that a quiet but deadly disease may soon lose its grip on the continent.
“Today’s agreement sends a message,” said Dr Pizarro. “We are not turning away. We are choosing to act.”
