By Sarah Mawerere
The two-day Africa Fourth Forum on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), kicked off in Benin, Cotonou, taking place on 29th and 30th January 2026.
Held on the Theme, From Neglect to Spotlight: Driving Africa’s NTDs, the Forum has been organized by the African Media Network for the Promotion of Health and Environment (REMAPSEN) in collaboration with Speak Up Africa, with support from different partners.
This continental media forum is aimed at mobilizing resources to fight NTDs as well as aligning African journalists for impactful public health reporting.
In his remarks, REMAPSEN President, Mr. Youssouf Bamba, highlighted the critical role of media in tackling NTDs, adding that these diseases are often invisible in media.
He noted that journalists are key actors in the fight against NTDs. “This is a critical moment to focus on NTDs in Africa for a renewed commitment. The media must lead the change”. He added.
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) constitute a group of 20+ communicable diseases that disproportionately affect the world’s most vulnerable populations.
These diseases, include lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, trachoma, and others. They are most prevalent in tropical and subtropical climates, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/neglected-tropical-diseases
Although they rarely capture headlines, NTDs cause significant and long-lasting suffering. They can lead to severe disfigurement, chronic pain, disability, social exclusion, stigma, and even death.
In addition, these successes have been one of the largest medicine donation programs in the world. The pharmaceutical industry has committed 28 billion units of medicine to prevent and treat NTDs from 2021 through 2030, with 20 different types of medicines are donated by 12 manufacturers to support NTDs interventions.
However, with the dwindling global support, the neglected diseases are still rampant in Sub Saharan Africa.
While delivering her speech, the Speak Up Africa Partnership Director, Sophietou Diop, was happy to note that the REMAPSEN media forum is the first of its kind to focus on NTDs, thereby encouraging the media to amplify their voises.
She said with this rejoinder information will be carried forward for advocacy and engagement for NTDs prevention strategies.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization Country Office Representative in Benin, Dr. Konan Konami Jean, noted that the forum to coincide with global celebrations of NTDs Day is symbolic.
He linked NTDs to social inequality, which he said has over burdens the people.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are caused by a variety of pathogens (including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins) and associated with devastating health, social and economic consequences. NTDs are mainly prevalent among impoverished communities in tropical areas, although some have a much larger geographical distribution. It is estimated that NTDs affect more than 1 billion people, while the number of people requiring NTD interventions (both preventive and curative) is 1.495 billion.
The epidemiology of NTDs is complex and often related to environmental conditions. Many of them are vector-borne, have animal reservoirs and are associated with complex life cycles. All these factors make their public-health control challenging.
