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Brazil achieves milestone in eliminating lymphatic filariasis



The World Well being Group (WHO) congratulates Brazil for having eradicated lymphatic filariasis as a public well being drawback.

Eliminating a illness is a momentous accomplishment that takes unwavering dedication. I congratulate Brazil for its efforts to free its folks of the scourge of this painful, disfiguring, disabling and stigmatizing illness. That is one other instance of the unimaginable progress we’ve got made in opposition to uncared for tropical illnesses and offers hope to many different nations nonetheless combating in opposition to lymphatic filariasis that they can also get rid of this illness.”


Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-Common

Lymphatic filariasis, generally often called elephantiasis, is a debilitating parasitic illness unfold by mosquitoes. For hundreds of years, this illness has troubled tens of millions worldwide, inflicting ache, power, extreme swelling, critical incapacity, and social stigmatization.

Efficient country-level investments

Over the previous few a long time, Brazil has applied built-in actions to get rid of lymphatic filariasis, together with the event of a nationwide plan to struggle this illness in 1997, the mass distribution of antiparasitic medication, vector management actions, and powerful surveillance, notably in essentially the most affected areas. With these efforts, the nation achieved the top of illness transmission in 2017.

The elimination of lymphatic filariasis was additionally one of many objectives of the Brasil Saudável program, a multisectoral initiative geared toward ending socially decided illnesses with a whole-of-government strategy and civil society participation, together with the involvement of affected folks within the implementation of illness management efforts. The programme was launched in February 2024 by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a ceremony with the participation of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-Common and Dr Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Well being Group (PAHO) and WHO Regional Director for the Americas. Within the post-elimination section, Brazil, PAHO, and WHO will proceed to carefully monitor for potential resurgence of infections.

“This milestone is the results of years of dedication, onerous work, and collaboration amongst well being staff, researchers, and authorities in Brazil”, stated Dr Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director and WHO Regional Director for the Americas. “Brazil’s in depth and unified well being system, coupled with strong specialised laboratory experience and strong surveillance have been important to interrupt the chain of transmission, inspiring different international locations to advance in the direction of the elimination of lymphatic filariasis and different uncared for tropical illnesses”.

World progress

Globally, Brazil joins 19 different international locations and territories which were validated by WHO for having eradicated lymphatic filariasis as a public well being drawback. These are Malawi and Togo within the African Area; Egypt and Yemen within the Japanese Mediterranean Area; Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand within the South-East Asia Area; and Cambodia, Cook dinner Islands, Kiribati, Lao Individuals’s Democratic Republic, Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Viet Nam and Wallis and Futuna within the Western Pacific Area.

Within the Americas, three endemic international locations (Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Haiti) nonetheless require mass drug administration to cease transmission and are working to realize the elimination goal.

Along with being the 20th nation to be validated for elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public well being drawback, Brazil has additionally develop into the 53rd nation to have eradicated no less than one uncared for tropical illness, globally.

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