ANALYSIS finds 2030 skin-related neglected tropical diseases milestones off track as DALYs increase heterogeneously across nations.
The 2030 Target and What Was Measured
Skin-related neglected tropical diseases remain a major public health threat, yet progress toward the 2030 target has not been well quantified. In this analysis, investigators used disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for six skin-related neglected tropical diseases, cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, fungal skin diseases, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, and scabies. Data were drawn from Global Burden of Disease Foresight Visualization, and trends were assessed for the general population and two vulnerable subpopulations: school-aged children and women of childbearing age.
Using a World Health Organization strategic framework, the study evaluated progress toward a 75% reduction in DALYs by 2030 relative to 2020 levels.
Skin-Related Neglected Tropical Diseases SDG Index
To quantify national progress, the authors developed a Skin NTDs SDG Index. The index highlighted substantial variation by country and region, with the highest progress concentrated in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, and the lowest progress observed across Sub-Saharan Africa. Only a limited number of countries were projected to meet the 2030 target, with 11 countries on track for achievement in a single skin-related neglected tropical disease category.
Divergent Disease and Population Trends
The projections suggested mixed trajectories by condition. DALYs were estimated to increase between 2020 and 2030 for cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, fungal skin diseases, scabies, and onchocerciasis, while decreasing for lymphatic filariasis and leprosy. The analysis also identified different patterns across vulnerable groups, with DALYs declining in school-aged children but rising in women of childbearing age, alongside distinct index distribution patterns.
Factors Linked with Progress
Among the factors examined, government health spending as a share of total health spending emerged as a key correlate of better progress toward the skin-related neglected tropical diseases targets. The COVID-19 pandemic showed complex short-term and long-term associations that differed by skin-related neglected tropical disease, reinforcing that progress is shaped by both health system capacity and disruptive external shocks.
Overall, the authors concluded that progress toward the 2030 skin-related neglected tropical diseases SDG target is largely insufficient, and that regional inequality and vulnerable group disparities remain major obstacles.
Reference: Cao X et al. Measuring Progress of 2030 Skin-Related Neglected Tropical Diseases Sustainable Development Goals. JAMA Dermatol. 2026; doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.6135.
