Representatives from Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, along with partners, academia, researchers, donors, and officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) across its Africa Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, and headquarters, will gather to launch the Strategic Framework for the elimination of visceral leishmaniasis in eastern Africa for 2023-2030. The meeting will take place from June 11-13 at the Radisson Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a fatal and outbreak-prone neglected tropical disease. In 2019, the eastern African epidemiological sub-region surpassed other endemic regions, becoming the highest-burden area for visceral leishmaniasis in the world. By 2022, this region accounted for 66% of the global burden of the disease.

The launch of this strategic framework aims to address and eliminate visceral leishmaniasis in eastern Africa, focusing on coordinated efforts and collaboration among the involved countries and stakeholders.