Across Africa, governments are navigating an increasingly difficult health financing landscape. Significant reductions in official development assistance ODA are placing added pressure on already stretched health budgets. At the same time, longstanding health challenges, including infectious diseases that disproportionately affect our most vulnerable people, require sustained investment. Now more than ever, we must rise to the challenge of unlocking new and innovative sources of funding, boosting domestic resource mobilisation and reducing reliance on external aid. The World Bank International Development Association's 21st replenishment IDA21 presents a timely and powerful opportunity to do just that.
Neglected tropical diseases NTDs disproportionately burden the poorest and most marginalised people, and can cause disability, disfigurement, and even death. In recent years, countries across Africa have demonstrated remarkable leadership in addressing these diseases. To date, 23 African countries have successfully eliminated at least one NTD, showcasing our continent's ability to lead in global health and improving health outcomes for millions of people. Tanzania is proud to be part of this progress, having made significant strides against lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, onchocerciasis, soil-transmitted helminths, and schistosomiasis, reaching more than twenty million people with preventive treatments in 2024 alone. In particular, our efforts to control lymphatic filariasis have resulted in a 93 decrease in the number of people requiring interventions since 2012.
Now, we must do everything in our power to protect and build on these gains. In this challenging financial context, African nations must urgently explore innovative, sustainable, and long-term financing mechanisms to sustain momentum toward disease elimination. One clear and strategic opportunity is IDA21, which offers grants and low-interest loans to the world's lowest income countries, making it uniquely positioned to support sustained investment in health priorities, including the elimination of diseases such as NTDs.