Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: The Processes Underlying Programme Success

Details

• Alternative Title:
  PLoS Negl Trop Dis
• Personal Author:
  Ichimori, Kazuyo ; King, Jonathan D. ; Engels, Dirk ; Yajima, Aya ; Mikhailov, Alexei ; Lammie, Patrick ; Ottesen, Eric A.
• Description:
  Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is caused by filarial worms that live in the lymphatic system and commonly lead to lymphoe- dema, elephantiasis, and hydrocele. LF is recognized as endemic in 73 countries and territories; an estimated 1.39 billion (thou- sand million) people live in areas where filariasis has been endemic and is now targeted for treatment [1]. Global mo- mentum to eliminate LF has developed over the past 15 years as a result not only of research demonstrating the value of single-dose treatment strategies and point- of-care diagnostic tools, but also of both the generous donations of medicines from the following committed pharmaceutical companies: GlaxoSmithKline (albenda- zole), Merck (ivermectin), and Eisai (di- ethylcarbamazine; DEC), and the essential financial support for programme imple- mentation from the donor community [2]. During 2011, more than 50 countries carried out LF elimination programmes, and more than 500 million people re- ceived mass treatment [1]. A principal reason for the programme’s dramatic expansion and success to date has been the galvanizing of efforts of all key partners around a common policy framework created and coordinated through the World Health Organization’s Global Pro gramme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF). This report, rather than high- lighting the very considerable contribu- tions of each individual partner or even chronicling most of the specific achieve- ments of the GPELF, instead focuses on the details of the underlying processes themselves and their importance in deter- mining programme success.
• Subjects:
  Albendazole Diethylcarbamazine Elephantiasis, Filarial Filaricides Global Health Ivermectin
• Source:
  PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014; 8(12).
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Volume:
  8
• Issue:
  12
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:c7e0b9ca3caa96c0ea485f5a5bd8a100d5eb330f007d2349e540b7e2449cf66e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/26403/cdc_26403_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.01 MB ]