Togo Becomes First Country in Africa to Validate the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis as a Public Health Problem
April 18 2017 - 2:07PM
Business Wire
GSK, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), and the MECTIZAN® Donation
Program (MDP) congratulate President Faure Gnassingbé, the
government and the people of Togo for becoming the first country in
Africa recognized by the World Health Organization to have
eliminated lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health
problem.
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LF, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating disease
caused by a parasite transmitted to humans through the bites of
mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), LF is
found in 73 countries with an estimated 120 million people
infected. Long-term, chronic infection may cause damage to the
lymphatic system of people affected, and limbs, breasts, and
genitals can become severely and irreversibly swollen, causing
extreme discomfort and social stigmatization.
In African countries where LF and another parasitic disease
called river blindness are co-endemic, the WHO recommends
co-administering two medicines, albendazole and ivermectin,
annually for at least six years to reduce the level of parasites in
infected people and help break the cycle of transmission until the
disease is no longer a public health problem.
A WHO resolution to achieve the elimination of LF was
established by the Fiftieth World Health Assembly in Geneva in
1997. In 1998, GSK announced the donation of albendazole for the
elimination of LF, and MSD expanded its donation of MECTIZAN®
(ivermectin) through the MDP to include the elimination of LF in
countries where the disease co-exists with river blindness. Since
1999, GSK has donated over 7 billion doses of albendazole worldwide
to fight LF. Since 1987, MSD has donated more than 2.5 billion
doses of MECTIZAN® to control and eliminate river blindness and
LF.
The elimination of LF in Togo follows similar progress in seven
countries (Cambodia, Cook Islands, Maldives, Marshall Islands,
Niue, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu) validated by the WHO to have
eliminated LF as a public health problem. Thirteen additional
countries have successfully completed large-scale treatment
programs and are under surveillance to demonstrate that elimination
has been achieved. This remarkable progress has been supported by a
public-private partnership, the Global Alliance for the Elimination
of Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF), which brings together academic and
research institutions, endemic counties, non-governmental
development organizations, financial donors and the private sector
in the fight against LF.
"We celebrate this important achievement with the people of
Togo. Lymphatic filariasis is a debilitating, but preventable,
disease that not only affects patients and their families but also
communities and health care systems,” said Dr. Julie L. Gerberding,
MSD’s chief patient officer. “Working with our partners for nearly
two decades, we strive to eliminate LF in Africa and Yemen to help
improve the lives of tens of millions of people.”
Phil Thomson, president of Global Affairs, GSK said “Achieving
elimination of LF is a fantastic achievement for Togo and is
testament to the commitment of the Togolese Government and the
dedication of the health workers delivering treatments on the front
line. We are committed to playing our part with the donation of
albendazole for as long as it is needed to replicate this success
throughout endemic countries, freeing communities from the burden
of LF.”
The MDP’s director, Dr. Yao Sodahlon, is a Togolese national and
expert in tropical diseases who worked closely over the years with
the ministry of health and other partners to ensure Togo’s success.
“I am very proud of my country for achieving elimination of LF. My
colleagues in the ministry of health must be congratulated for
their dedication to ensuring the medications were consistently
delivered to the millions of people at-risk of infection every year
since the national elimination program started in 2000. I hope
other countries in Africa will soon follow Togo in achieving this
goal,” he said.
About GSK
GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical
and health care companies – is committed to improving the quality
of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live
longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com.
Contact: Catherine Hartley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502
About MSD
For over a century, MSD has been a global health care leader
working to help the world be well. MSD is a trade name of Merck
& Co., Inc., with headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A.
Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies
and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in
more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions.
We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to
health care through far-reaching policies, programs and
partnerships. For more information, visit www.msd.com and connect
with us on Twitter.
Contacts: Jeanine Clemente Claire
Gillespie 908-236-5059 267-305-0932
About the MECTIZAN® Donation Program
The MECTIZAN® Donation Program (MDP) was established in 1987 to
provide medical, technical and administrative oversight of the
donation of MECTIZAN® by MSD for the treatment of onchocerciasis.
In 1998, MDP expanded its mandate to include oversight of the
donation of albendazole by GSK for the elimination of lymphatic
filariasis in onchocerciasis co-endemic areas.
Contacts: Joni Lawrence Yao Sodahlon
jlawrence@taskforce.org
ysodahlon@taskforce.org
404-687-5610 404-371-1460
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170418005573/en/
GSKCatherine Hartley, +44 (0) 20 8047
5502orMSDJeanine Clemente, 908-236-5059orClaire Gillespie,
267-305-0932orThe MECTIZAN® Donation Program
(MDP)Joni Lawrence, 404-687-5610jlawrence@taskforce.orgorYao
Sodahlon, 404-371-1460ysodahlon@taskforce.org
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