As disease burdens grew and health systems became increasingly strained, five developments in 2025 pointed to smarter, faster, and more inclusive ways to protect health worldwide.
From climate-fueled disease outbreaks to the growing burden of chronic illness and aging populations, 2025 highlighted both the fragility and promise of global health systems. We highlight five milestones that show how innovation and renewed political will can drive solutions to help make healthcare everywhere more efficient, resilient and inclusive.
Brazil approves first single-dose dengue vaccine
The world has a new weapon against one of the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne diseases. In November 2025, Brazil approved the first ever single-dose dengue vaccine, marking a pivotal moment in the fight against a disease that is now endemic in more than 100 countries. Last year, incidence of the disease hit a record high, with 14.6 million reported cases – more than 13 million of those in the Americas. Currently, the only dengue vaccine recommended by WHO requires two doses given three months apart, often leading to missed doses in communities with limited access to health services. At the same time, low production capacity makes it impossible to effectively vaccinate the 4 billion people living in at-risk areas, said Renato Kfouri, Vice President of the Brazilian Society of Immunizations.
“There are many countries that need to introduce the dengue vaccine in their national immunization programs, but there simply are not enough doses being produced,” he said.
Developed by the Butantan Institute, a Brazilian public research center, the single-dose vaccine called Butantan-DV has the potential to reduce costs, improve adherence and simplify logistics – by requiring less storage space, for example – Kfouri explained. “Labs can produce twice as many doses in the same amount of time, and we can vaccinate double the number of people,” he said.
Due to the effects of climate change, making it easier and faster to vaccinate against dengue has become a matter of urgency. Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are expanding the habitats and breeding cycles of mosquitoes that carry dengue and other diseases such as Zika and chikungunya.
“Once we start rolling out the mono-dose vaccine in early 2026, big companies and labs around the world need to work together to produce it in other countries,” said Kfouri. “That is how we change the course of this disease.”
WHO publishes guidelines for lenacapavir for HIV
In a move hailed as a major step toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, in July 2025 WHO published new guidelines recommending the addition of lenacapavir (LEN) – a long-acting injectable antiretroviral – to global HIV prevention strategies.
Administered twice a year, as opposed to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) options, LEN could dramatically improve adherence, “especially in populations where keeping to a daily regimen is challenging due to privacy concerns, forgetfulness or lack of access to healthcare,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections.
“An infrequent injection can be more discreet than pills, helping to reduce the stigma associated with taking HIV medication, which is a common barrier to oral PrEP uptake,” she added.
Challenges remain, however. Although prices negotiated through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria are steeply discounted at around $40—$60 per person per year, the cost could still keep the drug out of reach for many people. The injections also need to be administered by a health professional, which may “re-medicalize” prevention, potentially limiting access in remote areas, said Kasaeva.The guidelines from WHO are an important step in addressing these issues, she added, as they pave the pathway for incorporating lenacapavir into health systems, strengthening the global fight against AIDS.
WHA extends Dementia Action Plan
When the World Health Assembly, WHO’s decision-making body, decided in May 2025 to extend the Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia until 2031, it reaffirmed the global commitment to finding solutions for preventing, diagnosing, and treating the often debilitating condition.
Dementia is estimated to affect more than 55 million people worldwide and is projected to be the third leading cause of death by 2040, according to WHO. The prevalence of the condition is expected to worsen over the next few decades as populations age, placing increasing strain on health and care systems.
Paola Barbarino, Chief Executive Officer of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), said the Global Action Plan is the only international instrument that provides a framework for addressing the full spectrum of challenges surrounding dementia. “Crucially, it places people living with dementia, and those who care for them, at the center of the global response,” she said. The Plan, which was first launched in 2017, sets out seven targets for countries to integrate into their national strategies, including prioritizing dementia as a public health emergency, increasing awareness of the condition, and boosting support for carers.
By 2025, when the original targets were due to be met, only 45 member states had implemented national dementia plans – far short of the goal of 75% of members. Extending the plan to 2031 gives countries more time, and renewed political backing, to act, Barbarino said. “A robust response will be essential if we are to limit the number of people who develop the condition [and] ensure that health and care systems are prepared,” she said.
WHO prequalifies HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis triple test
Protecting vulnerable populations against HIV, hepatitis B (HBV) and syphilis could become easier and cheaper after WHO prequalified the first triple rapid diagnostic test to detect all three infections simultaneously in July 2025. The bundled panel is designed to help with early diagnosis in pregnant women, a group that faces significant barriers to essential maternal healthcare in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis, cause 2.5 million deaths each year, according to WHO. They also carry a high risk of mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. By allowing pregnant women to be treated earlier, the triple rapid test is a key development in global efforts toward the “triple elimination” of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis as a public health problem.
“This milestone reflects our continued commitment to accelerating the availability of safe, effective and quality health innovations where they are needed most,” said Dr Rogério Gaspar, Director of WHO’s Department of Regulation and Prequalification, when the organization announced the move.
World leaders adopt NCD political declaration
Cut the number of tobacco users by 150 million. Give 150 million more people ways to bring their hypertension under control. Make mental health care accessible to 150 million more people.
These are three global targets governments should aim to reach by 2030, according to the United Nations General Assembly’s political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which was adopted by world leaders in December 2025. NCDs including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases are responsible for the majority of global deaths, while more than 1 billion people live with mental health conditions, according to WHO. Low- and middle-income countries MICs carry the heaviest burden, accounting for nearly 75% of all deaths related to NCDs and mental health conditions each year. The declaration frames a multisectoral push to scale WHO “Best Buys” – low-cost, high-impact measures such as tobacco and alcohol taxes, improved hypertension control, and cancer screening. Its adoption highlights the importance of investing in tackling NCDs and mental health conditions, which receive significantly less funding than efforts to curb infectious diseases.
"The adoption of these bold targets to control noncommunicable diseases and promote mental health is a testament to the commitment of Member States to protect the health of their people,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement.
“Together, we can change the trajectory of NCDs and mental health, and deliver health, well-being and opportunity for all.”
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