Tracking progress along the WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases Road Map to 2030: A guide to the Gap Assessment Tool (GAT) and results from the 2023–2024 assessment

The World Health Organization’s Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) road map to 2030 includes a monitoring and evaluation framework designed to track global progress towards disease control, elimination and eradication targets. While quantitative indicators provide important measures of programme performance, qualitative assessments can help explain why progress is being made and where critical gaps remain.

This paper describes the development and implementation of the Gap Assessment Tool (GAT), a standardised qualitative method used to assess progress across the NTD sector. Drawing on online consultations, country programme input and expert focus group discussions, the GAT examines key dimensions including diagnostics, monitoring and evaluation, access and logistics, and advocacy and funding. The assessment generates a visual ‘heat map’ of progress, reviews the current status of each disease, and identifies disease-specific and cross-cutting recommendations for programmatic and research action.

The findings provide valuable insights for national programmes and global stakeholders, highlighting priority actions needed to strengthen NTD programmes and accelerate progress towards the goals of the WHO NTD road map to 2030.