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Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of diseases associated with poverty that affect over 1 billion people worldwide (1). On May 31, 2021, the World Health Assembly (WHA) officially recognized January 30 as World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day through decision WHA74(18). This designation aims to raise awareness about the severe impact of NTDs on disadvantaged populations and to mobilize support for control, elimination, and eradication efforts. The theme for World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day 2024 is “Unite, Act, Eliminate.” In November 2020, the 73rd World Health Assembly endorsed the report “Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030” (2). This comprehensive report establishes global targets and milestones for the prevention, control, elimination, or eradication of 20 diseases and disease groups, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Three primary pillars will guide global efforts in achieving these targets: 1) accelerating programmatic action, 2) intensifying cross-cutting approaches, and 3) promoting country ownership through changes in operating models and culture. The roadmap sets the elimination of schistosomiasis, visceral leishmaniasis (VL), and soil-transmitted helminthiases (STHs) as public health problems and outlines control measures for echinococcosis, foodborne trematodiases, and taeniasis/cysticercosis in China. In this paper, we review the progress and accomplishments in the control of major parasitic diseases in China over the past decade and analyze the ongoing challenges in achieving the elimination targets outlined in the World Health Organization (WHO) roadmap. We discuss the latest advancements, obstacles, and key tasks in the control of major parasitic diseases in China, aiming to provide insights into the realization of the targets outlined in the WHO roadmap for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 and the Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan.
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China, once heavily endemic for NTDs with a high disease burden, has made significant progress in disease control. The WHO declared lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination in China in 2007, making it the first country to achieve this milestone (3). By the end of 2023, transmission interruption of schistosomiasis was achieved in all endemic areas of China (4). The number of schistosomiasis cases decreased from 240,597 in 2012 to 28,568 in 2022, representing an 88.13% decline, and no new local infections in humans, cattle, or snails have been reported since 2015 (5-6). After a national epidemiological survey of echinococcosis was conducted in 2012, integrated interventions focusing on controlling infection sources in endemic areas led to a continuous decline in prevalence (7). The prevalence rate of echinococcosis in endemic areas was 58.35 per 100,000 in 2022, marking a significant 79.29% reduction compared to the prevalence rate of 280 per 100,000 in 2012 (8). In most endemic areas of China, the prevalence of STHs and foodborne trematodiases has been maintained at a low level (9). Three national surveys on STHs have been conducted in China, and the infection rate has dropped from 53.58% in the first survey (1988–1992) to 4.49% in the third survey (2014–2016) due to strong interventions such as mass drug administration, health education, and environmental improvement (10). Data from national surveillance sites indicate that the prevalence of STH infection rate in China dropped from 2.46% in 2016 to 0.84% in 2020 (11). Additionally, the reported cases of VL decreased from 322 in 2016 to 239 in 2022. The overall prevalence of VL in humans remained low throughout China (12-13), although there were local areas where mountain-type zoonotic VL resurged (14). Overall, China is making significant strides toward achieving the 2030 targets outlined in the Outline of Healthy China 2030 Plan (Figure 1).
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PROGRESS TOWARD THE CONTROL AND ELIMINATION OF MAJOR PARASITIC DISEASES
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