Since April 2024, a regional programme has been strengthened efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) across Central Africa. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), through KfW, and implemented by GFA Consulting Group in collaboration with the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (IMT), the programme is coordinated by the Organisation pour la Coordination de la Lutte contre les Maladies Endémiques en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC) and places the “One Health” approach at its core – linking human, animal and environmental health.

The four-year initiative focuses on two pillars: financing national control projects through Ministries of Health and NGOs, and supporting young researchers across the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) to support the development of innovative studies. Activities such as summer schools, regional workshops and digital platforms enhance knowledge sharing and strengthen scientific capacity.

As part of the programme, members of the OCEAC delegation and the project’s team leader travelled to Hamburg to attend the European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health (ECTMIH2025). They concluded their visit at the GFA Campus, where they were welcomed by Managing Director Anja Desai. The delegation toured GFA headquarters and presented the project’s progress to the Health Department alongside technical experts.

“Strengthening local capacities so that the region can better prevent, detect and treat these diseases, while fostering research to cultivate a new generation of experts capable of developing solutions to these challenges, remains at the core of our efforts,” said Ulises Huerta, Senior Consultant at GFA and Project Director. With Central Africa bearing nearly a third of the global burden of NTDs, the programme represents a crucial step towards greater health resilience and lasting improvements for local populations.

> Read more about the programme on our website