The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized Guinea for eliminating the gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), commonly known as sleeping sickness, as a public health problem.
This milestone marks the first successful elimination of a neglected tropical disease in the country and comes on the eve of World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, observed on January 30.
“Today’s announcement is both a testament to global progress against neglected tropical diseases and a beacon of hope for nations still battling human African trypanosomiasis,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Sleeping sickness is a parasitic disease transmitted through the bite of infected tsetse flies. It causes fever, headaches, joint pain, and, in advanced stages, neurological disorders such as confusion, sleep disturbances, and behavioral changes.
In the 1990s, Guinea witnessed a resurgence of HAT, particularly along its coastal regions, due to increased human activity in mangroves, driven by Conakry’s economic and population growth. Recognizing the threat, Guinea’s Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene launched the National Programme for the Control of HAT in 2002, with support from WHO and research institutions like the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD).
Guinea’s fight against sleeping sickness involved:
- Mass medical screenings: Widespread testing to diagnose and treat infected individuals.
- Vector control interventions: Beginning in 2012, the government deployed insecticide-treated mini-screens to kill tsetse flies, expanding nationwide by 2016.
- Community engagement: Ensuring that interventions were culturally acceptable and widely supported.
- Technological advancements: Improved diagnostic techniques and treatments helped accelerate progress.
Despite challenges such as the Ebola outbreak (2013-2015) and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), which temporarily disrupted disease control efforts, Guinea adapted by implementing door-to-door screening to sustain momentum.
Through these efforts, Guinea successfully reduced HAT cases to below WHO’s threshold of one case per 10,000 inhabitants in all endemic areas, leading to its official validation as an eliminated public health problem.
“The elimination of sleeping sickness is the result of many years of effort by the Guinean government, its partners, and communities in line with the national policy to combat neglected tropical diseases,” said Guinea’s Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Dr. Oumar Diouhé Bah.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, praised the achievement, stating:
“Vulnerable families and communities can now live free of the threat posed by this potentially fatal disease. WHO remains committed to supporting other countries in eliminating human African trypanosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases.”
Guinea joins seven other countries that have achieved WHO validation for eliminating the gambiense form of sleeping sickness: Togo (2020), Benin (2021), Côte d’Ivoire (2021), Uganda (2022), Equatorial Guinea (2022), Ghana (2023), and Chad (2024). Additionally, Rwanda eliminated the rhodesiense form of the disease in 2022.
Sleeping sickness remains endemic in parts of Africa, with two forms of the disease caused by different parasites:
- Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, found in 24 West and Central African countries, accounts for over 92% of cases.
- Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, found in 13 East and Southern African countries, causes the remaining cases.
Key strategies for long-term control include reducing the presence of tsetse flies, identifying infections early through mass screenings, and ensuring access to effective treatments.
WHO and its partners continue to work toward the ultimate goal: the full eradication of sleeping sickness worldwide.
