The Ministry of Health now plans to have Kenya certified Guinea Worm Disease free country in 2016 by elevating the level of public awareness to 50%.
In a statement from the Ministry of Health on Monday June 20, the Head of the Disease Surveillance, Dr Daniel Langat pointed out that Kenya is among the last five countries of the world yet to be certified free of GWD by WHO and that a strong surveillance system is critical.
‘’In Kenya, the last indigenous case occurred in 1994 and through intensified surveillance over the years we have reasons to believe that the disease has been eradicated. It is especially important for leaders to be aware of the certification goal.’’
However, the ministry in the same statement has revealed that it intends to invite the international commission for the certification of dracunculiasis eradication (ICCDe) in September 2016 to evaluate whether Kenya qualifies to be certified as having eradicated guinea worm disease.
According to the Ministry of Health website, Guinea worm disease (GWD) refers to a long white thread-like worm that emerges from the skin.
The disease is acquired through drinking of contaminated water and the last indigenous case of GWD in Kenya occurred in 1994 in Turkana County.
Chad, Mali, South Sudan and Ethiopia are the countries that still remain endemic for the disease.