The global elimination of lymphatic filariasis: The story of Zanzibar

Overview

What follows is the story of the LF campaign in Zanzibar. It is one of the most unusual health campaigns ever.

In Zanzibar, we were reminded again that WHO is a technical agency. We supply, primarily, expert advice. But no matter how good our advice is, if a health campaign is to be successful it is because thousands of ordinary people work very hard to improve the health of their neighbours. It is also because a few people, like senior political and religious leaders, commit themselves in a public way to personally improving the nation’s health. These personal commitments were abundant in Zanzibar. So, although the programme did not go entirely the way it was planned, the success was more than was hoped for.

Given all the frantic activity and eventual success in Zanzibar, we should not lose sightof how special this moment is. After 4000 years of physical and psychological suffering inflicted by LF, we now have the tools to eliminate this disease. If nations seize this opportunity with vigour and commitment, in the way that Zanzibar did, we not only can put an end to this terrible affliction, but also can break the chains that have bound millions of people to poverty. Zanzibar shouts at us that this can be done. But it can be done only if we work hard, work in partnership and, now with the example of Zanzibar, work with the certainty that we all can make a difference.