Remembering Dr. Bill Foege 1936-2026 The Mectizan Donation Program joins the global health community in mourning the loss of Dr. William (Bill) Foege, who
Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico were the first four countries in the world to eliminate river blindness with Mectizan, freeing more than 450,000 people
The 1987 donation of Mectizan by Merck* for river blindness sparked one of global health’s most successful public-private partnerships. Collaboration among governments, NGOs, WHO,
Despite the ongoing civil war creating extremely difficult challenges to the NTD program, Yemen successfully eliminated LF as a public health problem in 2019.
For decades, the World Health Organization (WHO) has played a key role in combating river blindness and lymphatic filariasis by providing leadership, coordinating partners,
River blindness and lymphatic filariasis (LF) are devastating parasitic diseases threatening millions of people worldwide. To interrupt transmission and achieve elimination, it is essential
(An excerpt from the Mectizan Donation Program Annual Highlights for 2024) The Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination (MEC/AC) is the independent technical body of experts providing
After Mectizan was donated by Merck & Co., Inc.* for river blindness, other pharmaceutical companies began donating medicines for neglected tropical diseases, building on
(Un extrait des faits saillants annuels du Programme de Donation du Mectizan pour 2024) L’effort visant à éliminer la filariose lymphatique (FL) en tant
(An excerpt from the Mectizan Donation Program Annual Highlights for 2024) The effort to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem in countries
This year we’re celebrating 5 billion Mectizan treatments donated to end river blindness and lymphatic filariasis (LF). Our country partners have faced many obstacles
On World NTD Day in January, MDP and Merck* co-hosted an event marking an extraordinary milestone: 5 Billion Mectizan Treatments Donated…and Counting. The event,
On January 30, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Niger has been verified for eliminating the transmission of onchocerciasis, commonly known as
On May 20th, MDP and *Merck co-hosted a side event in Geneva, Switzerland, during the World Health Assembly to bring stakeholders together including ministers
This year we’re celebrating an amazing 5 billion Mectizan treatments donated to end river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. A milestone this momentous merits a
(An excerpt from the Mectizan Donation Program Annual Highlights for 2023) In December 2023, a landmark $777 million pledge was announced for neglected tropical diseases
(An excerpt from the Mectizan Donation Program Annual Highlights for 2023) The Shire River borders Malawi and Mozambique; the two countries must work together to
