Did you know lymphedema is believed to affect more than 150 million people around the world? Although a congenital condition for some people, lymphedema is mostly a secondary condition. You can get it from an infection, cancer treatments, injuries, obesity, …
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), lymphedema is mostly a secondary condition. Among the primary conditions that cause lymphedema in DRC, we have lymphatic filariasis, one of the diseases that affect your lymphatic system.
Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease. Unfortunately, this condition is considered witchcraft in the Democratic Republic of Congo and many other African Countries. Because of that and the lack of information, many people are isolated and left untreated. Check out Mrs Mujinga’s story. She is one of so many.
Eliminating lymphatic filariasis is possible through preventive chemotherapy to stop the spread of the infection.
The WHO created the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) in 2000. The programme recommends mass drug administration (MDA) as a strategy. This means distributing and administering an annual dose of medicines (Mectizan + Albendazole) to the populations in high-risk areas.
Merck & Co. and GlaxoSmithKline, two pharmaceutical companies, joined the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis and offered to donate respectively Mectizan and Albendazole.
The goal is to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem in all the affected countries by 2030 with the programmes in place by the WHO and Merck & Co.
Merck & Co. uses local community volunteers to distribute the medicines to the affected population.
According to WHO’s report, in 2022 288 million people are still living in areas that need preventive chemotherapy.
In this article, I would like to put the light on two organisations that partnered with Merck & Co. in this fight against elephantiasis and who need donations. They dedicate their time and resources to helping those suffering from lymphatic filariasis and lymphedema in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Organisation #1: Christian Blind Mission (CBM)
In partnership with Merck & Co., CBM works in the field to administer medicines in the global effort to eliminate lymphatic filariasis. They also help manage the condition of those suffering from elephantiasis and lymphedema as a secondary condition.
CBM’s efforts include:
- The annual training of health workers and communities in the management of elephantiasis
- The prevention of disabilities associated with elephantiasis
The organisation has been improving the quality of life of people with lymphedema in Central Kasai in the DR Congo, like Mrs Mujinga, whose story is not an isolated one.
CBM manages morbidity and prevent disability from elephantiasis through:
- Basic skin care — To prevent secondary conditions such as skin infections (e.g. Cellulitis)
- Psychological support and socio-economic assistance — To allow the patients to still thrive with the condition.
You too can contribute to this fight. Follow this link and find out how you can donate to the Christian Blind Mission. Any donation is welcome. Nothing is too small.
Organisation #2: Sightsavers
As part of the Global Programme for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis, Sightsavers:
- Distributes drug treatment across several African countries (including the Democratic Republic of Congo).
- Teaches self-care techniques to patients suffering from lymphatic filariasis and lymphedema and to the local community volunteers — to prevent secondary conditions such as skin infections from developing.
- Assists national programmes to ensure elephantiasis is treated at the primary health care level, including surgery to correct cases of hydrocele (swelling of the scrotum)- where needed.
Sightsavers could do more like :
- Developing new diagnostic tools to make it easier to diagnose elephantiasis and lymphedema.
- Providing more efficient treatment methods, such as triple-drug therapy.
All of that will require funds. You can donate to Sightsavers and participate in the fight against elephantiasis. Here is the link.
Hoping to reach their goal of eliminating elephantiasis as a health problem in all the affected countries, these organisations need our help. Be a part of history by supporting their work. Let’s not let the effort made so far to eliminate elephantiasis go to waste.