A monumental achievement for Bangladesh: WHO validates sustained kala-azar reduction, with reported cases below 1 per 10,000 in all subdistricts for three consecutive years.

Kala-Azar is caused by Leishmania spp. And is transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies.

It threatens the rural areas with poverty, poor housing, and malnutrition.

If left untreated, it can be fatal in over 95% of cases.

In 2005, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal initiated the Regional Kala-Azar Elimination Initiative, which was further updated in 2012 for continued elimination efforts.

Tools that were crucial in the early detection and treatment of kala-azar in remote places included:

rK39 test

Liposomal amphotericin B

Miltefosine

In 2022, there were only 47 kala-azar cases in Bangladesh and 1069 in the Southeast Asia Region, the historic lowest number till now.

Further, Bangladesh eliminated lymphatic filariasis in May 2023, making it the first country to eliminate two tropical diseases in one year.