WHO Targets Sleeping Sickness Eradication By 2030, But Experts Warn Of Ongoing Challenges

Coordinate efforts, led by the World Health Organization, have resulted in falling cases of Africa’s most dangerous disease, known as sleeping sickness. The organization set the goal in 2021 to eradicate by the year 2030 protozoan parasites causing this disease.

Since 2000, reported cases have decreased by 97.5%, from almost 40,000 in 1998 to fewer than 1,000 annually for the past seven years. Seven countries have already reduced cases to below one per 10,000 residents, with others nearing this milestone. Still, experts caution that sleeping sickness could surge back if vigilance weakens.

Unlike elimination, eradication is a greater challenge. The parasite can evade immune responses by altering its surface proteins, while the tsetse fly, its primary carrier, remains widespread. “If we stopped now, sleeping sickness would return, potentially affecting millions,” WHO medical officer Gerardo Priotto told Nature.

A major breakthrough in treatment came with fexinidazole, an oral drug introduced in 2020. Unlike the toxic melarsoprol injections previously used, it allows treatment without hospitalization. Despite its benefits, it has limitations, particularly in advanced cases, and side effects often lead patients to abandon treatment.

Non-medical barriers also challenge the efforts of controlling the disease. Conflicts that have been going on in Central African Republic and Cameroon have hampered surveillance. Medical teams also face threats from armed groups in some cases. Donor fatigue is increasing with time, which makes it harder to secure funding as the number of cases reduces.

Despite these obstacles, WHO remains committed to eliminating sleeping sickness as a public health threat by 2030. However, experts stress that continued vigilance, funding, and scientific research are essential to achieving this goal.