Egypt: first country in Eastern Mediterranean Region to eliminate lymphatic filariasis
12 March 2018 – Egypt becomes the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the latest in the world to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem.
Egypt’s success comes after almost 2 decades of implementing sustained control and prevention measures (including mass treatment of populations) and surveillance in affected/at-risk localities.
The country joins 10 others1, already validated by WHO as achieving this criteria. After implementing WHO-recommended large-scale treatment campaigns, Egypt continued surveillance for at least 4 years until elimination was validated.
