Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a parasitic disease that affects more than 120 million people around the world. It is commonly known as elephantiasis and it is characterized by the abnormal enlargement of body parts including legs, feet, and arms (Lymphatic Filariasis, 2016). Several cases of LF have been reported in Haiti, hence the concerted efforts of CDC, USAID, BMGF, RTI, IMA World Health, and the University of Notre dame to eliminate the infection (Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti, 2016). Haiti is a poor country that has undergone a long period of instability. The 2010 earthquake led to a cholera outbreak that worsened the country’s financial and political situation. A high poverty rate and poor health indicators are example of factors that account for the high rate of LF prevalence in Haiti (Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti, 2016).
Despot the aforementioned challenges, the CDC is determined to find a lasting solution to the problem of LF in Haiti. Continued research and the administration of a combination of drugs are strategies used to eliminate the disease. CDC will succeed in their mission because in addition to administering drugs and conducting research, they conduct sensitization workshops and training programs. They educate communities, collect information from areas with LF prevalence, train volunteers for purposes of mass drug administration, and encourage people to take drugs to prevent the disease’s transmission (Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti, 2016). The strategies used by CDC and its partners to eliminate LF in Haiti include mass drug administration, research on ways to eliminate the disease, testing, and surveillance. LF is a deadly disease because it reduces the lymph system’s ability to fight infections, causes lymphedema, and makes the everyday lives of individuals difficult (Lymphatic Filariasis, 2016).
References
Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti. (2016). Web.
Lymphatic Filariasis. (2016). Web.