A brand new report launched by World Well being Group (WHO) reveals that we’re making progress in the direction of eliminating lymphatic filariasis – a painful and debilitating uncared for tropical illness.

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) may cause extreme swelling to physique elements, intermittent fevers and secondary infections. Sufferers with the illness can even develop everlasting disabilities. This will go away them unable to work and supply for his or her households which may expose them to poverty and stigma.

WHO’s report reveals that in 2022 the variety of folks in danger from LF had lowered by 15% from the earlier 12 months (falling from 342 million in 2021 to 288 million in 2022).

Out of 72 international locations that have been initially recorded as endemic for the illness, 18 have thus far managed to remove it as a public well being downside. That is the results of a concerted world effort that has concerned companions at many various ranges – from the pharmaceutical corporations Merck and Co., Inc (often known as Merck Sharpe and Dohme, MSD, outdoors of the USA and Canada) and GlaxoSmithKline, who’ve donated thousands and thousands of doses of medicine to fight LF, proper by means of to the well being employees who’ve been distributing these medication inside their native communities.

I’m proud that Sightsavers has performed a key position in tackling LF. We’re dedicated to being a part of the worldwide community that can obtain the elimination of the illness as a public well being downside by 2030.

Along with our companions and neighborhood volunteers, we’ve supported governments to roll out drug remedy campaigns throughout a number of African international locations. By instructing self-care methods, we’ve additionally helped to stop the painful signs of the illness from growing for tens of 1000’s of individuals. The 2 statistics under present the work that we’ve supported.