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The nearly complete eradication of the Guinea worm in Nigeria—from more than 600,000 reported cases in 1988 to zero in 2009 [1]—is a welcome development and a remarkable feat achieved through the efforts of the Carter Center, the Yakubu Gowon Foundation, and the World Health Organization [2]. They deserve a high level of appreciation for identifying a health-care issue and investing a considerable amount of capital in both general awareness campaigns and the provision of bole-hold water for people in the most endemic rural settings. The impact of these massive socio-capital and financial investments is reflected in the increasing awareness of the dangers in drinking infected or unclean water by rural dwellers. However, in spite of the significant reduction in dracunculiasis prevalence, inherent socio-cultural habits and economic factors suggest it is still too early to declare a total victory. For example, many rural dwellers still adhere to restrictive and often harmful traditional beliefs that infectious diseases have spiritual undertones that can be prevented or treated by seeking spiritual interventions, including bathing in the public stream or rivers to “wash away the evil spell” as opposed to seeking medical treatment.

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2012-03-16   |   333 visitas   |   Evalua este artículo 0 valoraciones

Vol. 5 Núm.12. Diciembre 2011 Pags. 901-902. J Infect Developing Countries 2011; 5(12)