WHO targets 15 countries for elimination of sleeping sickness by 2030
Tiny Targets are small screens of insecticidal fabric that are placed along local riverbanks and close to water sources to attract and kill the tsetse flies that transmit sleeping sickness. This example is in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Photo courtesy of Sophie Dunkley.
A project is underway to eradicate ‘neglected tropical diseases’ (NTDs) in Africa.
Among them is sleeping sickness, also known as nagana in domestic and wild animals.
Sleeping sickness, known medically as human African trypanosomiasis, is caused by protozoan parasites transmitted by infected tsetse flies, and is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tsetse.org is the umbrella organisation, funded by the Animal Health Programme of the UK’s Department for International Development.
Partners include the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (http://apo-opa.co/4jynwB7), IRD (http://apo-opa.co/4jzK30t), FIND (http://apo-opa.co/4jDJhj1), and the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) (http://apo-opa.co/4jNGOmm).
Vestergaard Sàrl manufactures the insecticide-treated fabric which is used to kill tsetse flies.
Vestergaard also makes PermaNet® insecticide-treated bed nets, which are used in global malaria elimination programmes. Founded in Denmark in 1957, the company is headquartered in Switzerland, with manufacturing and quality testing operations in Vietnam.
The programme against sleeping sickness has made some inroads. According to a Vestergaard release, the Republic of Guinea in West Africa was in January declared as the eighth country to eliminate sleeping sickness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021?2030 (http://apo-opa.co/4hj6YvE) now targets this disease for elimination of transmission in 15 countries by 2030.
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