The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over a severe global shortage of antifungal medicines and diagnostic tools. The crisis comes as life-threatening fungal infections surge, leaving patients with limited treatment options.
In its first-ever reports on the issue, WHO highlights the growing resistance of infections like candida, which causes oral and vaginal thrush. Vulnerable groups—including cancer patients, people living with HIV, and organ transplant recipients—face the greatest risk as effective treatments dwindle.
Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance ad interim, stressed the urgency of the situation.
“Invasive fungal infections threaten the lives of the most vulnerable, but countries lack the treatments needed to save lives,” she said.
A major diagnostic gap compounds the crisis, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where hospitals lack essential testing capabilities. Many infections remain undetected and untreated, worsening patient outcomes.
WHO’s Fungal Priority Pathogens List (FPPL) identifies several deadly fungi, some with mortality rates as high as 88%. Yet, progress in antifungal drug development has been alarmingly slow.
In the past decade, only four new antifungal drugs have been approved globally. Just nine are currently in clinical trials, and only three have reached the final stage.
Existing treatments pose additional challenges, including severe side effects, drug interactions, and prolonged hospital stays.
WHO is calling for urgent investments in global surveillance, financial incentives for drug development, and increased funding for research into new treatments—particularly therapies that enhance immune responses.
Beyond medication shortages, the lack of reliable diagnostic tools further exacerbates the crisis. Many tests are costly, require advanced laboratories, and depend on stable electricity—resources unavailable in many healthcare centers.
Some diagnostic tools only work for a limited range of fungal infections, while others take too long to yield results.
Additionally, many healthcare workers lack awareness of fungal infections and drug resistance, making early detection and treatment even harder.
WHO urges governments and global health organizations to prioritize antifungal research, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, and enhance medical training to address this growing public health threat.
