On Monday, April 13, Minister of Health Madalitso Baloyi officially opened the 2026 Annual Meeting of National Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Programme Managers in Lilongwe, according to the World Health Organization. The conference, co-convened by the African Union and WHO, gathers health managers and policymakers from across the continent to focus on sustainable financing and new methods for eliminating NTDs in Africa by 2030.
During the opening, Baloyi highlighted Malawi's past success in eliminating trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, and leprosy as public health problems. WHO Representative to Malawi Dr. Charles Kuria Njuguna praised the progress but urged increased domestic investment and the integration of NTD services into primary health care to address ongoing issues like sanitation gaps and declining funds.
In related disease control news, findings highlighted in an April 13 press release by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine show that ending community-wide mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis in Malawi has led to a resurgence of other parasitic worm infections. According to the research published in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, school-aged children are now approximately 1.8 times more likely to be infected with the intestinal roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides.
Malawi previously used widespread distribution of ivermectin and albendazole to successfully eliminate lymphatic filariasis, earning WHO recognition for the achievement in 2020. Lead researcher Dr. Faduma Farah noted that the drug program provided an indirect defense against intestinal worms. The study raises questions about whether broader community-based treatments should be reinstated to protect children from infection.