The World Health Organisation (WHO) certified Kenya as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, as a public health challenge, making it the 10th country to reach this critical milestone.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated the government and people of Kenya on this landmark achievement. Kenya joins the growing ranks of countries freeing their populations of human African trypanosomiasis. This is another step toward making Africa free of neglected tropical diseases, Tedros added.
Human African trypanosomiasis is the second neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in Kenya, following the country’s certification as Guinea worm disease-free in 2018. The disease is caused by protozoan parasites transmitted by infected tsetse flies, according to the WHO.
Symptoms include fever, headaches, joint pain, and, in advanced stages, neurological symptoms like confusion, disrupted sleep patterns, and behavioral changes.
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