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The World Well being Organisation has licensed the Democratic Republic of the Congo freed from transmission of Dracunculus medinensis, the parasite that causes dracunculiasis -Guinea-worm illness.
The announcement was made by the WHO Director-Common, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, following a advice of the Worldwide Fee for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication.
Dr Tedros congratulated the DRC’s Well being Minister, Dr Jean-Jacques Mbanda, in addition to all the sector groups who had labored tirelessly to realize the numerous milestone.
Dracunculiasis is a crippling parasitic illness, transmitted primarily when folks drink stagnant water contaminated with parasite-infected water fleas. The transmission cycle takes 10–14 months, after which period a mature feminine worm emerges from the physique.
Whereas hardly ever deadly, the illness is debilitating and might depart victims unable to perform usually for months. It primarily impacts folks in rural, remoted and disadvantaged communities.
Dracunculiasis is likely one of the three illnesses focused by the WHO for world eradication, along with yaws (one other uncared for tropical illness) and poliomyelitis.
In a report posted on its web site, the WHO stated the certification adopted an intensive and thorough analysis of the nation file offered by the DRC officers to the WHO.
The analysis was performed by the ICCDE and was complemented by a rustic go to of a world certification workforce led by Professor Robert Guiguemdé between July 19 and August 6, 2022.
It stated, “Analysis for certification includes assessing a number of components, together with epidemiological surveillance knowledge and official data, in addition to surveying well being amenities and villages in previously endemic areas.
“With the certification of the DRC, the WHO has now licensed 200 international locations, areas and territories, together with 188 WHO member-states, as freed from dracunculiasis transmission. Solely six international locations stay to be licensed, together with 5 endemic international locations (Angola, Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan) and one previously endemic nation (Sudan, which is now within the precertification stage).”
The Director, WHO’s Division of Management of Uncared for Tropical Illnesses, Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, stated there was a must deal with certification of Sudan as the following milestone on the best way in the direction of world eradication of Guinea-worm illness.
Including, the worldwide well being physique stated, “As one of many illnesses referred to below the banner heading of uncared for tropical illnesses, information of the interruption of dracunculiasis transmission within the DRC comes within the wake of different current success tales.
“Malawi just lately eradicated trachoma as a public well being downside, and in August 2022, Togo turned the primary nation to be acknowledged as having eradicated 4 illnesses (dracunculiasis, lymphatic filariasis, human African trypanosomiasis and trachoma).
“On behalf of all those that have suffered an infection and incapacity on account of the illness, the WHO congratulates all these concerned within the interruption of dracunculiasis transmission within the DRC and salutes the efforts of companions and donors, with out whom this achievement wouldn’t have been doable. Notably, since 1986, The Carter Centre has been a key world associate within the battle to consign Guinea-worm illness to the historical past books.
“The Authorities of the DR Congo is now dedicated, as per the WHO post-certification suggestions, to sustaining illness surveillance and to investigating and monitoring all rumours of reintroduction of the illness. That is a part of the broader effort to interrupt transmission in all remaining endemic foci and international locations, main sooner or later, it’s to be hoped, to a declaration of worldwide eradication of the illness.”
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