<\/p>\n
Togo has received validation from the World Health Organization (WHO)
\n for having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis or \u201csleeping
\nsickness\u201d as a public health problem, becoming the first country in
\nAfrica to reach this milestone.<\/p>\n
Sleeping sickness is caused by parasites which are transmitted by
\ninfected tsetse flies and is only found in 36 countries in sub-Saharan
\nAfrica. If left untreated sleeping sickness is almost always fatal. In
\n1995, about 25 000 cases were detected, about 300 000 cases were
\nestimated to have gone undetected, with 60 million people estimated to
\nbe at risk of infection. In 2019, fewer than 1000 cases were found. Togo
\n has not reported any cases in the past 10 years.<\/p>\n
Togo\u2019s achievement comes after more than two decades of sustained Togo first applied for certification of elimination of sleeping \u201cThis validation makes Togo the first country in Africa to have A WHO-led global collaboration supported these efforts by \u201cTogo is a pathfinder in eliminating sleeping sickness, a disease There are two forms of sleeping sickness. The first, due to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense<\/em>, is found in 24 countries in west and central Africa and accounts for more than 98% of cases. The second form, due to Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense<\/em>, Wiping out the gambiense<\/em> form of sleeping sickness will
\npolitical commitment, surveillance and screening of cases. Beginning in
\n2000, the country\u2019s public health officials implemented control
\nmeasures. In 2011, the country established surveillance sites at
\nhospitals in the cities of Mango and Tchamba, which cover the main areas
\n at risk of the disease. Public health officials have since maintained
\nheightened disease surveillance in endemic and at-risk areas. <\/strong><\/p>\n
\nsickness in 2018 and a team of WHO experts studied the data, made
\nrecommendations and requested a revision by the country before giving
\ntheir approval.<\/p>\n
\neliminated human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness,\u201d said Hon
\n Moustafa Mijiyawa, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene. \u201cThanks to
\nthe joint efforts of all health actors, the disease has been eliminated
\nin Togo. Neighbouring countries are not at the same phase and so
\nsurveillance must continue to avoid a resurgence of this disease.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nfacilitating the donation of medicines and resources from pharmaceutical
\n companies, which helped strengthen local capacity and ensure the
\nsustained availability of tools required to control the disease.<\/p>\n
\nwhich has threatened millions of Africans,\u201d said Dr Matshidiso Moeti,
\nWHO Regional Director for Africa. \u201cI congratulate the Government and
\npeople of Togo for showing the way. I am sure the country\u2019s efforts will
\n inspire others to push towards a final eradication of sleeping
\nsickness.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n is found in 13 countries in eastern and southern Africa and represents
\nthe rest of cases. WHO and partners are targeting the elimination as a
\npublic health problem of the gambiense<\/em> form of the disease from
\nall endemic countries by 2030. Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote
\nd\u2019Ivoire and Ghana have started the validation process with the support
\nof WHO.<\/p>\n
\nrequire maintaining the commitment of endemic countries and of donors as
\n well as integrating control and surveillance activities into the
\nregular health systems. These efforts need to be supported by improved
\ntools, innovative disease control approaches and effective coordination
\nof efforts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n