TZ’s triumph over NTDs: A nation rewriting health story

DAR ES SALAAM: FOR decades, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) have lingered in the shadows of Tanzania’s public health agenda quietly disabling, stigmatising and impoverishing thousands of families, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Often overlooked because they rarely cause immediate death, these diseases instead steal livelihoods, dignity and opportunity.

Today, however, Tanzania is rewriting that narrative.

New figures from the Ministry of Health reveal that the country has reduced the burden of several major NTDs by up to 94 per cent, marking one of the most remarkable public health achievements in its recent history.

Diseases that once affected nearly every corner of the nation such as elephantiasis, hydrocele and trachoma are now confined to only a handful of districts.

This progress was brought into sharp focus during a seminar for journalists on NTDs, held alongside an ongoing free hydrocele surgery camp in Dar es Salaam.

The forum, attended by reporters from across the country, aimed not only to share data but also to humanise the impact of sustained government investment in disease elimination.

Presenting the data, Ministry of Health’s National Coordinator for hydrocele, Dr Gulinja Antony, compared the baseline period of 2006–2015 with the situation in 2025. The contrast, he said, is striking.

Dr Antony stated that elephan‑ tiasis and hydrocele are among the diseases where the country has made the most significant progress.

The number of affected districts has dropped dramatically, from 119 to just five nationwide.

Trachoma, a bacterial eye infection that can lead to irreversible blindness if untreated, has also been pushed back significantly from 69 affected districts to only seven.

For communities that once lived under the constant threat of preventable blindness, the impact is life changing.

Progress is equally visible in the fight against intestinal worm infections, which disproportion ately affect children by impairing growth, nutrition and learning.

Affected districts have decreased from 184 at baseline to 132 in 2025, reflecting the success of mass drug administration in schools and communities.

Schistosomiasis, a waterborne parasitic disease, has shown a more modest decline from 184 to 177 districts high lighting ongoing challenges linked to water sources, sanitation and hygiene.

River blindness (onchocerciasis) remains the most persistent concern, with affected districts increasing slightly from 28 to 30, underscoring the need for sustained and targeted interventions in endemic areas.

“These results show us that elimination is possible, but also that vigilance is essential.

We cannot relax until transmission is completely interrupted,” Dr Antony said.

Dr Antony attributes the progress to longterm government commitment, supported by partners and implemented through local government structures.

Central to the strategy have been public awareness campaigns, regular disease mapping, community based screening and the widespread distribution of preventive medicines.

According to the National Programme Manager for NTD Control in the Ministry of Health, Dr Clara Mwansasu, the government has set a clear goal that by 2030, no council in Tanzania should have active transmission of lymphatic filariasis, locally known as mabusha.

“To reach this goal, we have ensured the availability of preventive medicines and routine screening in all councils across the country.

We have tested both children and adults nationwide, and infection levels are now below the threshold in almost all areas,” Dr Mwansasu said.

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One exception is Kinondoni District, particularly 10 wards including Tandale, where transmission remains slightly above desired levels.

“In these areas, we are intensifying drug distribution and continued testing to bring infections fully under control,” she said.

At the heart of the current campaign is the free hydrocele surgery programme, a critical intervention for men already affected by lymphatic filariasis.

Hydrocele causes severe swelling of the scrotum, often leading to chronic pain, mobility problems and social stigma.

“This is not just a medical condition, it is a social and economic burden. Surgery restores health, dignity and the ability to participate fully in family and community life,” Dr Antony said.

The country is currently intensifying its fight against NTDs, with the ongoing free hydrocele surgery camp in Dar es Salaam emerging as a powerful symbol of progress.

This initiative is restoring health, dignity, and economic independence to men who have long been burdened by a preventable and treatable condition.

The Dar es Salaam camp, which runs from January 5 to January 30, is offering free screening and surgery at Kiraka la Health Centre in Temeke and Kinondoni Health Centre.

More than 500 patients are expected to benefit.

So far, the response has been encouraging. Within the first five days, 165 residents from Dar es Salaam and neighbouring regions presented themselves for screening.

Of these, 127 patients were diagnosed as requiring surgery, and 27 have already under‑ gone successful procedures.

Dar es Salaam Regional Medical Officer Dr Mohammed Mang’una confirmed that all surgeries have been conducted safely.

“Patients are closely monitored for 48 hours after surgery, and those in stable condition are discharged with clear follow-up plans,” he said.

A defining feature of the programme is that all costs are fully covered by the government.

According to Dr Irene Haule, National NTDs Coordinator from the Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government Authorty (PMO-RALG), the package includes screening, surgery, hospital care, food, medication, ac‑ commodation and post-operative follow-up.

“Patients receive three free follow-up visits to ensure complete recovery.

No one should stay at home suffering because they fear the cost of treatment,” Dr Haule said.

The Dar es Salaam camp is part of the fifth phase of a national hydrocele elimination campaign launched in 2008.

During this phase, similar surgery camps are planned in Lindi, Mtwara, Tanga, Mbeya and Morogoro, regions that have historically carried a higher disease burden.

To date, 12,014 patients have undergone hydrocele surgery out of 19,784 identified across the country, a testament to the scale and persistence of the national response.

Dr Mwansasu stresses that hydrocele surgery is a safe and effective treatment and urging those affected not to suffer in si‑ lence. “Hydrocele surgery is safe and effective.

The earlier pa‑ tients come forward, the easier the treatment and the faster the recovery,” she said.

As Tanzania moves steadily toward its 2030 elimination targets, the fight against NTDs stands as a powerful example of what sustained investment, political will and community engagement can achieve.