Human African Trypanosomiasis, commonly known as sleeping sickness, remains a Neglected Tropical Disease in Nigeria, as per researchers who attribute its persistence to challenges in controlling the tsetse fly (Glossina genus), the disease vector…>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
Experts highlighted that despite extensive treatment and awareness efforts, the prevalence of sleeping sickness in the population remains below 10 percent. Factors exacerbating the resilience of the disease vector include rural-urban migration, ongoing transmission among animals, and the impact of climate change.
Nigeria contends with two forms of trypanosomiasis: Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and Animal African trypanosomiasis (Nagana).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HAT is a parasitic disease caused by protozoans of the Trypanosoma genus, transmitted to humans through bites from infected tsetse flies.
Sleeping sickness is characterized by disturbances in sleep cycles, hence its name, and is prevalent across 36 sub-Saharan African countries where tsetse flies are endemic. Rural populations relying on agriculture, fishing, and hunting are most affected.
Both human and animal forms of trypanosomiasis are classified as neglected tropical diseases due to their profound health, social, and economic impacts. The WHO reports that neglected tropical diseases affect over 1 billion people, their control complicated by environmental factors.>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
In response, the WHO launched a roadmap aiming for the elimination of neglected tropical diseases by 2030. To date, seven countries, including Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Ghana, and Chad, have been recognized for eliminating sleeping sickness as a public health issue.
A recent review by Odebunmi et al. in 2024 on the prevalence of sleeping sickness and Nagana in Nigeria found disease burdens of 3.6 percent and 27.3 percent, respectively.
Neglected tropical diseases, a category encompassing communicable diseases prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, pose significant public health challenges worldwide, as reported by The Conversation.>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
