Visceral leishmaniasis is one of the deadliest parasitic diseases in the world, responsible for approximately 30,000 deaths each year. Gilead has worked closely with WHO and non-governmental organizations since 1992 to provide antifungal medication to countries in which the disease is endemic. The program operates in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nepal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda as well as other countries in the Eastern Africa sub-region and South East Asia where visceral leishmaniasis  is endemic. Over 90 percent of new cases are reported from just seven countries: Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. However, just six years ago, case estimates ranged up to 300,000 cases per year.

Gilead is one of 20 original endorsers of the ‘London Declaration’ on Neglected Tropical Diseases – a collaborative disease elimination and eradication program inspired by the WHO’s 2020 roadmap to eradicate neglected tropical diseases.

In 2011, Gilead donated 445,000 vials of antifungal medication to treat more than 50,000 people over five years and provided funding to expand the number of visceral leishmaniasis treatment centers available. In 2016, Gilead provided $20 million in additional funding and drug donations to expand access for diagnostic services and visceral leishmaniasis treatment. In 2022 Gilead extended the collaboration for three years, which will provide $11.3 million in funding and drug donations. Gilead’s current agreement to support WHO’s leishmaniasis control program extends through 2025.

This long-standing collaboration has significantly contributed to reducing visceral leishmaniasis morbidity in South East Asia, which has declined by more than 82 percent while the case fatality has decreased by 95 percent. An estimated 50,000-90,000 new cases occur each year, which underscores the need for continued collaboration and commitment.

In addition to treatment, the program also includes funding to support countries’ national plans and to enable WHO to expand and reinforce surveillance and control efforts in highly endemic areas, including creating a sustainable infrastructure to improve diagnosis and treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. Gilead also coordinates additional capacity building initiatives to combat visceral leishmaniasis in affected countries and to educate healthcare professionals.