The World Health Organization (WHO) on 16th October announced that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has eliminated lymphatic filariasis (LF), a painful and disabling neglected tropical disease, as a public health problem.
- Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a disease that cripples and has significant social and economic impact on the affected communities.
- This is the country’s second neglected tropical disease (NTD) to be eliminated in six years, following the elimination of trachoma as a public health hazard in 2017.
- Lao PDR is now the second country after Bangladesh to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) in 2023.
- 19 countries have been able to eliminate LF. Of the 19 countries, 11 belong to the WHO Western Pacific Region (WPR).
- Lao PDR is 11th country in the WPR region to successfully eliminate Lymphatic filariasis .
- Four countries in the WHO South-East Asia region have also eliminated Lymphatic filariasis : Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
About Lymphatic filariasis
- Lymphatic filariasis , also known as elephantiasis, is a parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes that causes the enlargement of body parts, often resulting in pain, severe disability, stigma and associated economic hardship.
- It occurs when one of the filarial parasites — Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and B. timori — are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.
- The parasites nest in the lymph vessels, damaging them. This leads to hydrocele, lymphedema, and elephantiasis.
- The elimination of NTDs by 2030 is one of the primary objectives of the United Nations-mandated global sustainable development goal of “health for all” (SDG 3).
