2025 Delivered Significant Victories For Disease Control: WHO

Add as your preferred news source on Google Add Now In a year-end analysis, World Health Organization claimed that amidst major funding cuts and increasing threats to science and solidarity, 2025 delivered significant victories for disease control and elimination across the globe.WHO noted that Maldives became the first country to achieve "triple elimination" of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. Brazil was also recognized for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, making it the most populous country in the Americas to achieve this historic milestone.Burundi, Egypt and Fiji eliminated trachoma, while Guinea and Kenya eliminated sleeping sickness. Niger became the first African country to eliminate river blindness. WHO's Global report on neglected tropical diseases shows 32 percent fewer people needing treatments against an NTD since 2010, with 867 million people treated in 2023.Tuberculosis deaths declined significantly, with the WHO African and European regions achieving 46 percent and 49 percent reductions respectively, over the past decade. Yet TB still killed 1.2 million people in 2024, underscoring the need to address risk factors like HIV, diabetes, smoking and undernutrition.In 2025, Georgia, Suriname and Timor-Leste were certified malaria-free, and 7 additional new countries in Africa introduced malaria vaccines - a key intervention for child survival. This brings the total to 24 countries, reaching more than 10 million children annually. Wider use of new tools against malaria, including dual-ingredient nets and WHO-recommended vaccines, helped to prevent an estimated 170 million cases and 1 million deaths in 2024, according to WHO.With support from WHO and partners, countries continue scaling up vaccination programs to protect against diseases including meningitis, pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus and HPV (human papillomavirus - a major cause of cervical cancer). On November 17, the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, WHO and partners announced 86 million girls vaccinated against HPV. In 2025, countries including Bhutan, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Rwanda expanded HPV vaccination and screening - bringing the world closer to eliminating cervical cancer.Global immunization efforts have led to an 88 percent drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2024; nearly 59 million lives have been saved by the measles vaccine since 2000. Despite fewer deaths, measles cases are surging worldwide, with an estimated 11 million infections in 2024 - nearly 800000 more than pre-pandemic levels in 2019, the UN health agency said. WHO's World Health Statistics 2025 report showed that 1.4 billion more people enjoy healthier lives thanks to reduced tobacco use, cleaner air, and better water and sanitation. HIV and tuberculosis rates are falling, and fewer people need treatment from neglected tropical diseases. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.comBusiness News