Steps towards eliminating African sleeping sickness

Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti

June 12, 2023 at 8:04:35 PM

Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vector borne diseases, Elimination, Public health threat

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.
Transmission of HAT is vector-borne, by the tsetse fly (glossina species).
It is focally endemic in regions of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Progressing through various stages, HAT can lead to meningoencephalitis, posing a public health threat.
The "WHO Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021-2023" has set the goal of eliminating T. b. rhodesiense transmission and eliminating T. b. gambiense as a public health problem.
On 7th-9th June 2023, at the "Fifth WHO stakeholders meeting on human African trypanosomiasis elimination," the delegates discussed innovative approaches and pledged to strengthen the commitments towards elimination.