Press Release
U.S. CDC Country Director Visits Tanzanian Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program
November 25, 2008
U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Tanzania Country Director Dr. John Vertefeille visited the Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program and District Officials in Mkuranga on Monday, November 24, 2008.
Tanzania was one of the first countries in Africa to develop and implement a national plan for the elimination of lymphatic Filariasis in 2000. The program mirrors global efforts launched in 1997 and is based on the reduction of transmission by mass administration of two drugs Mectizan ® and Albendazole for a period of 6-8 years, and reducing the disability caused by the disease in the people who have both the acute and chronic manifestations of this debilitating disease.
Lymphatic Filariasis is endemic throughout the country (over six million Tanzanians suffer the debilitating manifestations of the disease) The program is highly decentralized working within the local councils with technical support from the National Office. The Tanzania program is unique in that it has taken the guidance from the global program and experiences of other countries but has been local in its approach. What has worked in Tanzania has been incorporated into the program. Program strategies have been management of lymphoedema and elephantiasis in infected patients, support for Hydrocele surgery and promotion of vector control through use of bed nets and reduction of mosquito breeding sites.
The program has gradually expanded from administration of drugs to 45,000 people in Mafia in 2000 to mass administration of drugs to 9.2 million people in 34 districts in 6 regions throughout Tanzania. A total of 8200 men have had Hydrocele surgery. In rolling out the program, over 15,000 Village Health Workers (VHW) have been trained and it is envisaged that these volunteers can be used to support other interventions. Some districts have use VHW’s to help support patients with lymphoedema and others have been used to follow up with patients after surgery to quickly identify and address any complications. Some districts have also used Home Based Care workers for HIV to support lymphoedema management.
This next year the program will expand an additional 31 districts in another 4 regions. Efforts are being made to integrate with other programs targeted for preventive chemotherapy, including Onchocerciasis, Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH), Schistosomiasis and Trachoma. Currently the LF program is co-implementing Mass Drug Administration with the Onchocerciasis control Program in Morogoro and Tanga regions. It is envisaged in the four regions targeted for MDA this year co-implementation will involve LF onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and STH.