Ethiopia Fights Against Guinea WormEthiopia has recorded a tremendous achievement over the past eight years in containing guinea worm following a series of measures taken by its departments concerned.A report issued here on Saturday by the Ethiopian Health Ministry said that Ethiopia was able to reduce the number of people infected with the disease from 1,252 in 1993, the time the containment efforts were launched, to only two this year. Guinea worm, a disease that can be contracted from drinking water, could kill or handicap the person infected. Gambella state in southeast of Ethiopia is a potential area to harbor the disease. The report noted that the Health Ministry was working with the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund and non-governmental organizations to wipe out the disease. The Sudan, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and Ethiopia are some of the 13 countries affected by Guinea worm in Africa. |
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