Can Sleeping Sickness Be Eradicated? What is WHO’s plan to Free 100 Countries?

Sleeping Sickness: The disease named Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is also known as ‘sleeping sickness’. It is a parasitic disease that spreads through the bite of the Tsetse fly found in South Africa.

A country named Chad in North and Central Africa has achieved a major victory in eliminating sleeping sickness. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently congratulated Chad on June 20 for achieving this great success. 

In 2024, Chad will become the first country to have succeeded in eliminating a Neglected Tropical Disease. This is a big deal. So far, only 51 countries around the world have been able to do this.

It is also special that it is the first country to cross half of the target of 100 countries. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) had set a target for 2021 to 2030 that 100 countries should eliminate at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD). This achievement of Chad is a milestone in this direction. The target of 100 countries is now closer.

Neglected tropical diseases are diseases that mainly affect people in poor and developing countries. These diseases are called neglected because they receive less attention, research and funding.

How does sleeping sickness spread?

If the tsetse fly has already bitten an infected human or animal and then bites another person, he or she can also fall ill. In some rare cases, this disease can also spread by other means, although such cases are very rare. 

These are the ways- If a pregnant woman is suffering from this disease, then sometimes this parasite can reach her unborn child. If the donor of blood is infected, if the organ to be donated belongs to an infected person and if the scientist or assistant working in the lab falls ill due to coming in contact with infected blood or parasite.

Is ‘sleeping sickness’ fatal?

In the beginning, sleeping sickness only causes fever and body ache, then slowly it starts affecting the brain. Due to this, a person’s behavior can change, he can remain confused, his sleep can be disturbed and sometimes he can even go into coma. Sometimes it can be fatal.

But the good thing is that if the disease is detected early and treated and monitored, it can be eradicated. Chad has succeeded in eradicating this disease by following this path.  

How many countries are free from ‘sleeping sickness’?

So far, 7 countries have been successful in eliminating human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). These countries are – Togo (2020), Benin (2021), Côte d’Ivoire (2021), Uganda (2022), Equatorial Guinea (2022), Ghana (2023) and Chad (2024).

Apart from this, a country named Rwanda has also eradicated another form of sleeping sickness called the Rhodesiense form. WHO certified it in 2022. This is a huge achievement. It shows that even a dangerous disease can be defeated by working together.

By June 2024, 20 countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa have succeeded in eliminating at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD). Of these, Togo has eliminated 4 diseases, while Benin and Ghana have eliminated 3 diseases each.

What are the two types of ‘sleeping sickness’?

There are two main forms of sleeping sickness: West African sleeping sickness and East African sleeping sickness.

West African sleeping sickness is caused by a parasite called T. gambiensis, which is transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly. The disease develops slowly, sometimes taking a year or more after the bite to show symptoms. It is found mainly in rural areas of central and west Africa.

On the other hand, East African sleeping sickness is spread by a parasite called TB Rhodesian. This disease spreads very fast, sometimes it can become serious within a few weeks of the bite. It is found especially in rural areas of East and Southern Africa. It is less common than West African sleeping sickness. 

Which people are more at risk of such a disease?

The risk of sleeping sickness is mainly in the people living in rural areas of African countries. Hunters living in the forest are more at risk of being bitten by tsetse flies. If their cattle in the village are suffering from this disease, then they are also more at risk of being bitten. On the other hand, people living in cities are less at risk of this disease. 

It is worth noting that the tsetse fly that spreads sleeping sickness is found only in a few African countries. The good news is that you cannot get this disease while living in America.

What is the way to prevent this disease?

If you have visited those rural areas of Africa where this disease spreads and you are feeling any symptoms there or you feel that you may have this disease, then immediately consult your doctor.

There is no vaccine or medicine available to prevent this sleeping sickness. But this does not mean that it cannot be prevented. By taking some precautions, you can protect yourself from the bite of the tsetse fly and prevent the disease.

Efforts to control the disease have reduced the number of new cases. In 2009, for the first time in 50 years, the number fell below 10,000 and in 2015, only 2804 cases were reported. Detecting and treating this disease is a bit difficult. Specially trained people are needed for this.