ERADICATION OF DRACUNCULIASIS FROM PAKISTAN

In 1986 the World Health Organization targeted dracunculiasis (Guinea- worm disease), which seriously impairs socioeconomic development in 16 African countries, India, Pakistan, and Yemen, to be eradicated globa lly The target date for eradication by the end of 1995 was established in 1991. Pakistan eradicated dracunculiasis from the country in Octob er, 1993, after a national campaign which began in 1987 with a nationw ide village-by-village search for cases. The infection, which is trans mitted by drinking water from ponds containing infected water fleas, w as eradicated by using health education, cloth fillers, and the cyclop sicide, temephos; and in the later stages, by case containment. Method s pioneered in Pakistan's National Guinea Worm Eradication Program are now being applied in remaining endemic countries.