Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Bayer AG have renewed their global partnership to eliminate three neglected tropical diseases — Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, and taeniasis — under a new five-year agreement worth nearly US$25 million.
In a statement on Tuesday, WHO said the extended collaboration will run from 2025 to 2030 and will support medicine donations, programme funding, and expanded access to treatment in low- and middle-income countries.
Bayer will provide 18 million doses of essential medicines, including nifurtimox, suramin, and niclosamide, valued at US$15.5 million. An additional US$9.45 million will fund treatment delivery, surveillance systems, and community awareness programmes.
WHO’s Department of Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases will coordinate implementation.
WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, Dr. Jeremy Farrar, described the partnership as “an exemplary model of public–private collaboration built on sustained impact.”
He added: “This agreement brings us closer to the global target of eliminating these diseases as public health threats.”
The diseases, which affect millions across Latin America, Africa and Asia, can cause chronic heart disease, neurological damage, lifelong disabilities and preventable deaths. Bayer’s Chief Health Equity Officer, Claus Runge, said the company remains committed to equitable access to treatment: “Driven by our mission ‘Health for All, Hunger for None,’ we will continue supporting vulnerable communities.”
The renewed partnership will also scale up maternal screening to prevent congenital Chagas, expand access to paediatric treatments, and integrate One Health approaches linking human, animal, and environmental health systems.
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