Report from Mectizan Expert Committee Meeting #75
The 75th meeting of the Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination (MEC/AC) was held in Paris in June 2026. Five new MEC/AC members were welcomed by the Chair: Dr. Maggie Baker, Dr. Gautam Biswas, Prof. Moses Bockarie, Prof. William Brieger, and Prof. Achim Hoerauf.
The agenda included a discussion on the importance of preparing for last-mile challenges to the elimination of transmission in river blindness-endemic countries. The Committee and participants agreed that a coordinated operational planning and performance-tracking framework should be jointly developed by partners with MEC/AC review and oversight. The “Operational Road Map for Onchocerciasis Elimination: Now and Beyond 2030” will articulate the key obstacles and provide mechanisms to pre-empt them; address emerging challenges; sustain momentum; and strengthen proactive collaboration among stakeholders.
WHO Headquarters presented updates on the midterm evaluation of the NTD Road Map 2030 and the WHO regional offices provided news on river blindness and lymphatic filariasis elimination. The MEC/AC appreciated updates from other partners including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Carter Center, Gates Foundation, GLIDE, GSK, Merck & Co., Inc.*, the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, Eisai, and Medicines Development for Global Health. The new Sankofa Initiative described its strategy to support monitoring and evaluation of river blindness.
Sénégal Announces Milestone Achievement
After meeting in August to assess the latest entomological and serological evidence, the Sénégal National Expert Committee on the Elimination of Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis confirmed that transmission of river blindness has been interrupted following the completion of three years of post-treatment surveillance. The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene plans to submit the elimination dossier to WHO by December 2026.
UN Adopts Historic Resolution on Human Rights and NTDs
The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted Resolution 62/21 on “Human rights and neglected tropical diseases” at its 62nd session in Geneva. The resolution establishes NTDs as a human rights problem and a public health problem as NTDs disproportionately affect the health of vulnerable people already denied basic rights and services and deepen poverty, stigma, and social exclusion. The resolution aims to integrate human rights into national NTD policies to address inequality and social conditions and protect the rights and dignity of vulnerable populations.
New Funding Opportunities for NTD Elimination
GONE shared two funding opportunities for NTD elimination:
U.S. Department of State – Accelerating the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD) issued Addendum K: Accelerating the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) under the Advancing Global Health Annual Program Statement (APS), DFOP0017890. The opportunity invites Statements of Interest for projects accelerating the elimination or interruption of transmission of priority NTDs through integrated, country-led, and strategically targeted interventions in high-burden settings. Emphasis is placed on the “last mile” to elimination, country ownership, partnerships, and sustainable approaches. Both broad integrated programs and more specific proposals addressing a specific NTD, geography, or elimination challenge are invited to apply by October 30, 2026, at 5:00pm EDT.
Dioraphte Foundation – Research on Skin-related NTDs
The Dioraphte Foundation issued a call for research proposals on skin NTDs. The pre-application deadline is October 5, 2026, at 18:00 CEST.
Video Break
Modern tools, enduring fight: The push to eliminate river blindness
This video is part of the “Escape the Neglect” series produced by Devex and the Gates Foundation. It explores how innovative surveillance tools can build on MDA success to eliminate river blindness across West Africa.
The Mectizan Donation Program is an international program to eliminate river blindness and lymphatic filariasis primarily funded by Merck & Co., Inc.*, with support from GSK.
*Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA, is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.