Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis

The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) is a World Health Organization project to eradicate the Filarioidea worms which cause the disease lymphatic filariasis and also treat the people who already have the infection.{{Cite web |title=Global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: progress report, 2019 |url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-wer9543}}

The GPELF is a partnership organization in which countries establish a national LF elimination program, various international sponsors fund the programs, regional pharmaceutical companies produce medicine, universities assist with monitoring, and the WHO convenes international conversation.{{cite journal |last1=Ichimori |first1=Kazuyo |last2=King |first2=Jonathan D. |last3=Engels |first3=Dirk |last4=Yajima |first4=Aya |last5=Mikhailov |first5=Alexei |last6=Lammie |first6=Patrick |last7=Ottesen |first7=Eric A. |last8=Gyapong |first8=John Owusu |title=Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: The Processes Underlyreing Programme Success |journal=PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases |date=11 December 2014 |volume=8 |issue=12 |pages=e3328 |doi=10.1371/journal.pntd.0003328|pmid=25502758 |pmc=4263400 |doi-access=free }}

A study examined the first 8 years of the organization's programs and reported that they were generally successful and that the elimination plan was a good investment for participating countries.{{cite journal |last1=Ottesen |first1=Eric A. |last2=Hooper |first2=Pamela J. |last3=Bradley |first3=Mark |last4=Biswas |first4=Gautam |last5=de Silva |first5=Nilanthi |title=The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: Health Impact after 8 Years |journal=PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases |date=8 October 2008 |volume=2 |issue=10 |pages=e317 |doi=10.1371/journal.pntd.0000317|pmid=18841205 |pmc=2556399 |doi-access=free }} A study review 13 years into the program found that the programs were reducing the disease, but not as quickly as planned, and that there would need to be changes to meet the goal of eliminating the disease by 2020.{{cite journal |last1=Ramaiah |first1=K. D. |last2=Ottesen |first2=Eric A. |last3=Bockarie |first3=Moses |title=Progress and Impact of 13 Years of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis on Reducing the Burden of Filarial Disease |journal=PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases |date=20 November 2014 |volume=8 |issue=11 |pages=e3319 |doi=10.1371/journal.pntd.0003319|pmid=25412180 |pmc=4239120 |doi-access=free }}

As an elimination strategy, the organization recommends mass drug administration to at least 65% of the population in areas with an infection rate of 1% or more.{{cite journal |last1=Ndeffo-Mbah |first1=Martial L |last2=Galvani |first2=Alison P |title=Global elimination of lymphatic filariasis |journal=The Lancet Infectious Diseases |date=April 2017 |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=358–359 |doi=10.1016/S1473-3099(16)30544-8|pmid=28012944 |doi-access=free }}

China participated in the program and became LF free in 2007.{{cite journal |last1=Fang |first1=Yuan |last2=Zhang |first2=Yi |title=Lessons from lymphatic filariasis elimination and the challenges of post-elimination surveillance in China |journal=Infectious Diseases of Poverty |date=7 August 2019 |volume=8 |issue=1 |page=66 |doi=10.1186/s40249-019-0578-9|pmid=31387644 |pmc=6685173 |doi-access=free }}