CBM and Gates Foundation extend NTD treatment to 5.4 million people in the DRC

New support strengthens long-standing collaboration to eliminate river blindness and lymphatic filariasis

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) continue to trap millions of people in cycles of disability, preventable blindness, stigma and poverty. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the disease burden remains high, CBM and the Gates Foundation are strengthening their shared work to accelerate elimination efforts. 

A new grant from the Gates Foundation will support CBM’s work with the Ministry of Health and the national NTD programme in Mongala and Tshuapa. The project will focus on two diseases: lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, and onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness. 

The initiative is expected to benefit more than 31 million people at risk. It will support mass drug administration for more than 5.4 million people and provide care for people living with the long-term consequences of lymphatic filariasis.

WHO estimates that neglected tropical diseases affect more than 1 billion people and carry serious health, social, and economic consequences, including disability, stigma, exclusion, and lost productivity. 

History of support for elimination of NTDs

The Gates Foundation has been a leading supporter of global NTD elimination efforts since the early 2000s and has previously contributed to several CBM-supported programmes through trusted partners and funding mechanisms. These include the Accelerate Project in Nigeria, the ARISE project in South Sudan, onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis assessment activities in Nigeria, and ongoing programmes supported through the Reaching the Last Mile Fund. 

The new grant reflects a shared commitment to reaching communities that continue to bear a disproportionate burden of neglected diseases, often in areas where health systems face significant challenges. 

Over decades, CBM has worked with governments, communities, and health partners to advance inclusive health programmes that reach people who are often left behind, including persons with disabilities. 

The project will run from September 2026 to June 2027 and directly supports both the DRC's national NTD strategy and the global goal of eliminating neglected tropical diseases as a public health problem. 

Progress against NTDs has accelerated worldwide over the past two decades, but countries such as the DRC remain critical to achieving lasting success. Reaching elimination targets will depend on sustained investment, strong government leadership and partnerships capable of delivering at scale. 

This latest initiative brings those elements together, with a clear objective: helping move millions of people closer to a future free from diseases that are preventable, treatable and increasingly within reach of elimination. 

Neglected Tropical Diseases