World Chagas Disease Day 2025: Theme

Prevent, Control, Care: Everyone’s role in Chagas disease has been selected as the theme for World Chagas Disease Day following a broad consultative process. 

Early detection is key as Chagas disease is curable when treatment is provided soon after infection. If this does not happen because of delayed diagnosis, the infection can transform into a life-threatening condition. In this case, adequate care throughout life is essential. 

Detection, treatment and monitoring of the disease can be carried out at primary health-care level in most cases.

Key messages

 

Increase awareness about Chagas disease: Chagas disease, predominantly affecting impoverished populations in Latin America, is increasingly spreading across continents. With 7 million infections globally and significant mortality rates, it poses a substantial public health threat. An estimated 10,000 people die from Chagas disease every year, and over 100 million people are at risk of acquiring the disease.

Unite and act against Chagas disease: Effective prevention and control of Chagas disease requires united, well-trained, and up-to-date health professionals collaborating closely with communities and civil society to address its complex biomedical, social, and environmental challenges.

Support people with Chagas disease: Promoting initiatives to overcome barriers to healthcare access for marginalized populations affected by the disease, as well as advocating for comprehensive care and support systems will improve outcomes for all affected individuals and their families.

Address stigma and discrimination: Stigmatization isolates sufferers, hindering timely diagnosis and treatment. Ending stigmatization, discrimination or negligence is essential to ensuring proper care for people with Chagas disease.

Call for action

 

 

 

 


General public, health professionals, communities, patient groups  and associations...

  1. Share accurate, evidence-based and updated information about risks associated with Chagas disease.
  2. Talk about Chagas diseases, without pointing to locations or ethnicity of people affected by the disease.
  3. Be empathetic towards people infected with Chagas disease. 

 

 

 


Policy makers

  1. Increase investments in capacity and resources towards prevention, diagnosis, management, control, surveillance and screening, starting at primary healthcare level.
  2. Be aware that risk of infection is not limited to areas where bugs are found – transmission can also occur by transfusion of blood and blood products, organ transplantation, congenital routes, oral/foodborne routes and laboratory accident.
  3. Include Chagas disease in policies related to migration and health.

     

     

     

     


    Partners and donors

    1. Advocate for prevention of transmission, early detection, care, epidemiological surveillance, and increased investment, starting at primary healthcare level.
    2. Increase investments and work with governments and local health authorities towards funding access to early diagnosis, safe treatment, care, surveillance and screening, starting at primary care level.


     

     

     


    Academia and researchers

    1. More research is needed on quality diagnostics and medicines, and on cost-effective interventions for vector control, hygiene and food safety.


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