The Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly took a significant step forward in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) on Saturday 24 May, by adopting two resolutions that call for stronger global action: “Accelerating the eradication of dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease)” and “Skin diseases as a global public health priority”.
“These resolutions are not only timely – they are transformative”, said Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director, WHO Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme. “One calls everyone to take resolutive action to wipe out a disease through a final push. The second gives long-overdue visibility and voice to people suffering from skin diseases, which, if left untreated, can result in disability, stigma, and discrimination".
Stepping up efforts to eradicate Guinea-worm disease
The world stands at a
turning point in the fight against Guinea-worm disease. Fourteen years after
the last resolution, Member
States have adopted a new one (WHA78.14 on “Accelerating the eradication
of dracunculiasis”) – reaffirming global commitment and signaling renewed
momentum for eradication. With only 15 human cases reported in 2024 and
transmission confined to five endemic countries, this is a pivotal moment to
press forward.
This milestone builds on the momentum of the Abu Dhabi Declaration on the Eradication of Guinea-Worm Disease (2022) and the N’Djamena Declaration on interrupting the transmission of dracunculiasis (2024). The new resolution endorses WHO’s revised 2023 eradication strategy, which addresses the increasing threat of Dracunculus medinensis infections in animals – particularly in domestic dogs – that risk undermining progress towards global transmission interruption.
WHO now recommends an integrated approach, combining human, animal and environmental health efforts, along with strong laboratory support for case confirmation, and timely data collection, analysis, and reporting.
The resolution underscores the urgent need for sustained political will, financial commitment cross-border collaboration, capacity building and investment in safe water access – key to achieving the 2030 eradication target set in the road map for neglected tropical diseases.
Member States recognize skin diseases as a global public health priority
Resolution
WHA78.15 on “Skin diseases as a global public health priority” was adopted
today at the World Health Assembly. The resolution expresses the unanimous
commitment by Member States to address the burden of all conditions primarily
affecting the skin as well as those that are systemic but associated with skin
manifestations.
The resolution is driven by critical gaps that demand urgent action. Skin diseases are among the most visible health conditions, often leading to stigma, discrimination, and emotional distress. Yet when recognized and interpreted accurately, skin signs can enable early detection of a wide range of diseases.
Despite their significant burden, awareness of skin conditions remains low — both among health workers and the general public. Weak surveillance systems further mask their true public health impact. Notably, a small number of common skin conditions account for the vast majority of cases in any community.
With proper training, medicines, and support, local health teams can manage these conditions effectively — strengthening primary care and accelerating progress toward universal health coverage. To facilitate this task, WHO has developed and promoted integrated approaches that improve both service delivery and efficiency, such as the strategic framework for skin-related neglected tropical diseases.
The resolution calls for a country-level coordinated action across all skin diseases — strengthened financing and human resources, surveillance, capacity-building, laboratory diagnostic capacities, access to essential medicines, integration with other programmes, innovative service delivery models, and research. It also calls for WHO’s leadership in facilitating transformative change and scaling up activities against skin diseases at global, regional, and country levels.