NTD control in Syria
Over 93,000 homes and 51,600 temporary shelters across Aleppo and Idleb Governorates were sprayed with WHO-approved insecticide to address the high threat of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the region. MENTOR carried out the large-scale Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign in northwest Syria between May and September 2025 to protect more than 799,000 people, including many that have […]
Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) conference 2025
We are excited to be attending the Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) conference in Kampala this week with a focus on sustainable innovations to transform the fight against NTDs. On Thursday, Xavier Badia, MENTOR Programme Manager and Chair of the NNN Conflict and Humanitarian Emergencies Working Group, will lead a workshop addressing NTD control […]
New Vector-Borne Disease Units open in Syria
MENTOR recently opened two Vector-Borne Disease Units in Azaz and Idleb City as part of ongoing efforts to address the high rates of leishmaniasis in northern Syria. These unique units, funded by The Aid Fund for Syria, provide free diagnosis, treatment and essential medicines for patients, and coordinate wider prevention and care through 48 health […]
New study to compare onchocerciasis treatments
The effective control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases requires innovative tools and approaches such as scoping alternative treatments to be used for mass drug administration campaigns. In Bié Province, Angola, this means the launch of a new study to compare two treatments for onchocerciasis (commonly known as river blindness). Transmitted by black flies that […]
Country Brief: South Sudan
South Sudan faces a severe humanitarian crisis caused by conflict, climate shocks, economic instability, and public health challenges. Floods, droughts, and extreme heat have devastated livelihoods and displaced communities. Intercommunal violence and the influx of over 900,000 people fleeing Sudan have overwhelmed infrastructure and services. Health systems are fragile, with limited access to care and […]
Project Brief: Expansion and sustained control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Angola
Angola is endemic for 16 of the 21 WHO listed neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and schistosomiasis (SCH) particularly prevalent. Mapping and assessments revealed high STH rates in northern provinces and SCH across the central plateau, with Cuanza Norte and Huila showing significant prevalence. The national strategy prioritises mass drug administration (MDA) […]
Global partners meet to discuss Neglected Tropical Diseases
The Annual River Blindness, Lymphatic Filariasis and Schistosomiasis meeting took place last week, bringing together Ministry of Health officials, WHO, partners, country-based staff, and donors to review programmes in 2024 and plan activities for the year ahead. The MENTOR Initiative was pleased to join the 29th meeting at The Carter Center, to discuss achievements, challenges, […]
World NTD Day 2025
MENTOR works in some of the most vulnerable settings to prevent and treat neglected tropical diseases, a group of diseases that affect more than 1 billion people worldwide. Together with our partners we are helping to reduce the harm and suffering from NTDs in communities disproportionately affected by a lack of healthcare, climate change, and […]
Annual meeting for global tropical research, 13 to 17 November 2024
The MENTOR Initiative is back at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) annual meeting sharing insights from our programmes and learning from important research from across the world on tropical diseases management. MENTOR is once again presenting research on a range of topics aimed at showcasing our work in some of the […]
Mass Drug Administration begins in South Sudan
A mass drug administration campaign in South Sudan addressing the high rates of onchocerciasis (river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis recently started, which aims to reach around 1.7 million people at risk of two of the most harmful neglected tropical diseases. This year’s campaign is expanding into five new counties, adding to the successful programme in […]