Benin, Uganda and Rwanda's elimination of at least one form of at least one form of Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) has now received validation from the World Health Organization (WHO). Uganda is the only country where both forms are endemic but has now achieved elimination as a public health problem of the gambiense form. The country remains committed to eliminating the rhodesiense form as well, which affects central and southern regions.
At the beginning of the 21st century, large numbers of HAT cases were being reported, prompting the WHO to launch an initiative in 2001 to help combat the endemic; the efforts aimed to bolster disease surveillance and strengthen healthcare across the affected countries. This led to a progressive decrease in incidence, with cases going below 1000 annually for the first time in 2018.
These achievements not only bring hope for a brighter future in the fight against sleeping sickness but also align with the broader goal of eliminating gambiense HAT transmission by 2030, in accordance with the 2030 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) roadmap target.
Furthermore, this success story serves as inspiration for other nations currently pursuing their own validation dossiers, fostering a collective effort to rid the world of this devastating disease. It is indeed a victory for humanity.
Source: Departmental news, WHO. "Benin, Uganda and Rwanda eliminate human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem". https://www.who.int/news/item/24-05-2022-benin--uganda-and-rwanda-eliminate-human-african-trypanosomiasis-as-a-public-health-problem. 24 May, 2022. [Accessed: 25 May, 2022].
Edited by Manan Chordia.
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