The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance aimed at helping countries improve the surveillance and reporting of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a move expected to strengthen disease monitoring and accelerate progress toward eliminating some of the world’s most persistent infectious illnesses.
The updated guidance focuses on integrating NTD surveillance into routine national health information systems, enabling countries to detect outbreaks earlier, monitor disease trends more accurately, and improve decision-making for prevention and treatment programs. Health experts say the new framework is particularly important for low- and middle-income countries where neglected tropical diseases remain a major public health challenge.
Neglected tropical diseases are a group of infections that primarily affect people living in poverty, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. According to the WHO, more than one billion people worldwide are at risk of diseases such as lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, leprosy, onchocerciasis (river blindness), dengue, and Chagas disease.
The organization said effective disease surveillance is essential for identifying areas with ongoing transmission, evaluating the impact of public health interventions, and ensuring that limited healthcare resources are directed where they are needed most.
Under the new recommendations, countries are encouraged to strengthen data collection at healthcare facilities, improve laboratory reporting, expand digital health information systems, and enhance coordination between national disease control programs. The WHO also emphasized the importance of training healthcare workers to recognize and report suspected cases promptly.
Public health specialists believe stronger surveillance systems will help governments respond more quickly to emerging outbreaks while improving access to treatment for vulnerable populations. Better-quality health data can also support vaccination campaigns, mass drug administration programs, and vector control strategies aimed at reducing disease transmission.
The guidance aligns with the WHO’s Neglected Tropical Diseases Road Map 2021–2030, which sets ambitious global targets for controlling, eliminating, or eradicating several neglected tropical diseases by the end of the decade. Experts say reliable surveillance will play a central role in measuring progress toward these goals.
Health officials also noted that integrating NTD surveillance into routine healthcare services can improve efficiency by reducing duplication of reporting systems and strengthening overall public health infrastructure. This approach is expected to benefit not only neglected tropical diseases but also broader disease detection and emergency preparedness efforts.
Global health organizations have welcomed the updated guidance, saying improved surveillance will support evidence-based policymaking and help countries identify populations that continue to face barriers to healthcare access. They added that stronger monitoring systems are especially important as climate change, urbanization, and population movement continue to influence the spread of infectious diseases.
The WHO is encouraging governments, development partners, and healthcare institutions to adopt the new recommendations and invest in sustainable disease surveillance systems. The agency believes that timely, accurate, and comprehensive health data will be critical to reducing the burden of neglected tropical diseases and improving health outcomes for millions of people worldwide.
