Global Health Solutions Inc

Mectizan Donation Program Accomplishments In 2024, 406.1 million Mectizan treatments were approved for mass drug administration (MDA) for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination in 44 countries and territories. The breakdown of treatments approved is as follows: (a) 274.1 million for onchocerciasis only including 63 million treatments approved to implement a second round of treatment in 9 countries (Burkina Faso, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda). (b) 36.2 million for onchocerciasis & LF co-endemic communities. (c) 95.7 million for LF only, of which 52.8 million were approved for 14 countries implementing triple therapy with ivermectin, DEC, and albendazole (IDA). By the end of 2024, cumulatively, the number of Mectizan 3mg tablets shipped since the inception of the program reached 13.9 billion or 4.94 billion treatments. The 5 billionth treatment shipped will be reached in early 2025, a very exciting milestone that the Mectizan Donation Program (MDP) will celebrate with Merck & Co., Inc. and other partners working to eliminate these diseases. Timor Leste was validated by WHO for achieving the elimination of LF as a public health problem, the first country to achieve elimination using triple therapy with the WHO-recommended triple therapy strategy: ivermectin, DEC and albendazole (IDA). A press release was issued by MDP to congratulate the country. MDP supported WHO-HQ to prepare a request to be submitted to Merck for Mectizan donation to extend the donation of Mectizan for - triple therapy - or IDA (ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole. The application was submitted to Merck in November 2024 for consideration. MDP also supported WHO, country partners, and others in identifying challenges and creating solutions to ensure onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis remain on track to meet the goals established in the WHO 2021-2030 Road Map. A robust communications and advocacy plan including an annual report, social media, video production, and e-newsletter was implemented to share progress and relevant developments with partners. Our film - Eliminating Disease with Mectizan - produced in 2023 (renamed - The Pill That's Changed Millions of Lives) was entered by the producer in the 2024 Smiley Charity Awards, a high-profile award in the UK for non-profit causes. The film was selected as a finalist in the - Corporate Cause - and SDG 3 categories. The film did not win the award; however, this increased visibility for the donation of Mectizan and efforts to eliminate onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis.