Fungal diseases affect more than 300 million people each year, and is associated with high mortality, long-term illnesses, and major losses in health and productivity worldwide. The growing threat of antifungal resistance, driven in part by the widespread use of antifungals in farming and the environment, is further eroding an already limited number of antifungal medicines.
Despite their profound human and economic toll, fungal diseases remain largely absent from national health plans, global burden-of-disease estimates, and the majority of AMR, universal health coverage, and One Health strategies.
The new Blueprint for strengthening responses to fungal disease and antifungal resistance: implementation guidance builds on the WHO fungal priority pathogens list to guide research, development and public health action and existing WHO work on neglected tropical diseases, HIV, and antimicrobial resistance, providing countries with practical guidance to strengthen national and regional responses to fungal disease and antifungal resistance.
A dedicated webinar will mark the launch of the Blueprint on 1 July 2026.