Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 was launched in 2021. The road map sets out global targets to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate a diverse set of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and disease groups by 2030.

Three types of targets are set by the road map: overarching, cross-cutting and disease-specific.  

Overarching global targets for 2030

The overarching global targets for 2030 are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work:

• 90% fewer people requiring interventions against NTDs
• 75% fewer NTD-related DALYs
• 100 countries achieving elimination of at least 1 NTD
• Eradication of 2 NTDs – dracunculiasis and yaws

Cross-cutting targets for 2030

The road map aims to renew momentum, proposes strategies that intersect multiple diseases, and advances actions focused on integrated platforms for delivery of interventions. Consequently, a set of cross-cutting targets has been devised to measure progress in four areas:

• Integrated approaches
  • Reduce deaths from vector-borne disease by 75%
  • Achieve 75% integrated treatment coverage index for preventive chemotherapy
  • 40 countries adopting skin NTD strategies
  
  
  

• Multisectoral coordination
  • Ensure 100% access to basic water supply, sanitation and hygiene in NTD-endemic areas
  • Get 90% of countries integrating NTDs in national strategic plans
  • Protect at least 90% of the population from catastrophic out-of-pocket health expenditure due to NTDs

• Universal health coverage
  • Get 90% of countries including NTD interventions in their package of essential health services and budgeting for them
  • Ensure that 90% of countries have guidelines for management of NTD-related disabilities within national health systems

• Country ownership
  • Ensure that 90% of countries report on all relevant NTDs 
  • Ensure that 90% of countries collect and report NTD data disaggregated by gender
    

Disease-specific targets

The road map includes one main target and one to two additional sub-targets for 2030 for each of the diseases or disease groups. Each target has milestones for 2023 and 2025, in addition to 2020 baselines. This framework will enable tracking of progress towards the goals set for eradication, elimination, elimination as a public health problem and control.

The list of the main targets and milestones set for each NTD is available here.

For the full list of targets, sub-targets and milestones set for each NTD, consult the Disease summaries annexed to the road map. 

Action required to meet the targets

Meeting the 2030 NTD targets will require concerted action in three areas or “pillars”:

• Pillar 1: Accelerate programmatic action against NTDs, including interventions to reduce incidence, prevalence, morbidity, disability and death: to do so will require scientific advances, new interventions and tools, and strengthening strategies and service delivery, and enablers.
• Pillar 2: Intensify cross-cutting approaches by integrating interventions for several NTDs and mainstreaming them into national health systems, and coordination with related programmes (e.g. water, sanitation and hygiene, vector control and other programmes).
• Pillar 3: Change operating models and culture by increasing country ownership, clarifying the roles of organizations, institutions and other stakeholders, their culture and perceptions and aligning them to meet the 2030 targets.

The 2030 targets are achievable. However, unforeseen circumstances (for instance pandemics, local epidemics, political instability, migration, consequences of climate change, antimicrobial resistance) can complicate existing programmatic complexity.

These will require additional action across multiple dimensions and an agile response to challenges to achieve these targets.