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"Twenty years ago, Guinea had the highest number of sleeping sickness cases in West Africa. But as of this year, the country managed to eliminate the NTD transmitted by the Trypanosoma parasite and spread by tsetse flies, the WHO announced.
What did it take? After elimination efforts including mass screening and treatment proved ineffective, the focus shifted to vector control.
Researchers discovered that tsetse flies are attracted to the color blue, so they developed tiny blue fabric screens coated with insecticide to attract and kill tsetse—a so-called “tiny targets” approach that has made a massive dent in cases. ..."
"... Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by infected tsetse flies. ...
The programme introduced vector control interventions in 2012 aiming to interrupt contact between people and tsetse flies. Initially implemented in the Boffa-East area, this strategy expanded nationwide by 2016, with nearly 15 000 impregnated mini-screens (with insecticides to attract and kill the tsetse flies) deployed annually.
However, Guinea faced significant challenges in its HAT elimination efforts during the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19.
From 2013 to 2015, the Ebola epidemic caused a suspension of medical activities, leading to a resurgence in HAT cases.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic posed further disruptions, but the programme adapted by implementing door-to-door HAT screening to maintain control efforts. ..."
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