The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates Guinea for having eliminated the form of Gambians from human African Trypanosomia as a public health problem. This form of human African trypanosomia, the only type transmitted to Guinea, is the first tropical disease neglected to be eliminated in the country. The new brand an important achievement in this area of public health on the eve of World Tropical Disease Day, marked on January 30.
“Today’s announcement shows both global progress against neglected tropical diseases and a headlight of hope for nations that still fight against human African trypanosomia,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is general manager.
African human Trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleep disease, is a parasitic disease with vector transmission caused by infected tsetic flies. Symptoms include fever, headache, joint pain and, at advanced stages, neurological symptoms such as confusion, disturbed sleep habits and behavioral changes.
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In the 1990s, Hat resurfaced along the Coast of Guinea due to the increase in human activity in the mangroves, driven by the economic and demographic growth of Conakry. In response to the critical threat posed by HAT, the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Guinea created the National HAT control program in 2002, with the support of WHO and the Institute Research for Development (IRD), and later partners such as partners such as the Drugs for Negleted Diseases initiative and the Pasteur Institute of Guinea. The program started with mass medical screening to diagnose and treat cases effectively, marking a crucial step in the control of the disease.
The program introduced vectors’ control interventions in 2012 aimed at interrupting contacts between people and tsétse flies. Initially implemented in the Boffa-East region, this strategy extended to the national scale by 2016, with nearly 15,000 mini-ecrans impregnated (with insecticides to attract and kill tset flies) deployed each year.
However, Guinea was confronted with significant challenges in its efforts to eliminate the hat during the Ebola and Covid-19 epidemic. From 2013 to 2015, the Ebola epidemic caused a suspension of medical activities, leading to a resurgence of cat cases. In 2020, the Pandemic COVID-19 disrupted other disturbances, but the program has adapted by implementing the door to door hat to maintain control efforts.
Collaboration with local communities has played an essential role during these years, ensuring that interventions were culturally acceptable and largely supported. The progress of diagnostic techniques, delivery of treatment and coherent financial and technical support for WHO and other partners have strengthened the impact of the program. Consequently, Guinea has managed to reduce the number of hat cases below the WHO threshold of a case for 10,000 inhabitants in all endemic areas, reaching an important step in its fight against this neglected tropical disease.
“The elimination of sleep disease is the result of many years of efforts from the Guinean government, its partners and communities in the global context of national policy to fight against all neglected tropical diseases,” said Dr. Oumar Diouhé Bah, Minister of Health of Guinea and public hygiene.
“The elimination of human African Trypanosomia by Guinea is an important public health realization. Vulnerable families and communities can now live without the threat posed by this potentially fatal disease, “said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “I congratulate the government, health workers, partners and communities for this crucial stage. “Who remains determined to support countries to eliminate human human Trypanosomia and other neglected tropical diseases in Africa.”
With Guinea, seven other countries have been validated by WHO to eliminate the Gambian form of human African trypanosomia: Togo (2020), Benin (2021), Ivory Coast (2021), Uganda (2022), Guinea Equatorial Guinea (2022), Ghana (2023) and Chad (2024). The Rhodesiens form of the disease was eliminated as a public health problem in a country, Rwanda, as validated by the WHO in 2022.
Note to the editor
Human African Trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping disease, is a parasitic vector transmission disease caused by infection by protozoa parasites belonging to trypanosome genus. These parasites are transmitted to humans by the bite of infected tset flies, who acquire infection by humans or animals carrying pathogens. There are two forms of disease: one caused by Gambian trypanosoma, found in 24 countries in West and Central Africa and which represents more than 92% of cases; And another caused by Trypanosoma Brucei Rhodesiens, found in 13 countries in East and South Africa, representing the other cases.
The main approaches to control sleep disease include the reduction of infection tanks and the reduction in the presence of the tsetse fly. Screening of at risk helps to identify patients earlier in the development of the disease. If the diagnosis is made early, it is possible to avoid complicated and risky treatment procedures at the advanced stage and improve the prognosis for healing.