Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Africa Water & Sanitation & Hygiene May -June 2017 | Page 37

Hygiene
common. Such body deformities often lead to social
stigma and sub-optimal mental health, loss of income-
earning opportunities and increased medical expenses for
patients and their caretakers. The socioeconomic burdens
of isolation and poverty are immense.
Acute episodes of local inflammation involving skin,
lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels often accompany
chronic lymphoedema or elephantiasis. Some of these
episodes are caused by the body’s immune response to
the parasite. Most are the result of secondary bacterial
skin infection where normal defences have been partially
lost due to underlying lymphatic damage. These acute
attacks are debilitating, may last for weeks, and are the
primary cause of lost wages among persons suffering with
lymphatic filariasis.
Togo: first country in sub-Saharan Africa to eliminate
lymphatic filariasis
8 April 2017 | Brazaville | Geneva
The World Health Organization (WHO) has added Togo
to a growing list of countries that have recently eliminated
lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. Togo
becomes the first sub-Saharan country to have achieved
this global target established by the 50th World Health
Assembly.
“Togo’s achievement is a milestone for Africa” said Dirk
Engels, Director, WHO Department of Control of
Neglected Tropical Diseases. “It demonstrates how the
co-implementation of large-scale treatment of affected
populations and management of morbidity can be
addressed to eliminate another avoidable neglected tropical
disease.”
For the past 15 years, Togo carried out a sustained
campaign in all affected districts and areas. In 2010, it
moved into a 5-year surveillance phase until elimination
was validated by WHO in 2015.
Cleaning up London’s air
Every year, over 9,000 Londoners are said to be dying
prematurely from long-term exposure to air pollution and
the latest research shows that hundreds of schools are
located in areas exceeding safe legal pollution levels.
Mayor Sadiq Khan is implementing tough measures to
reduce London’s deadly air pollution and protect the health
and wellbeing of all Londoners.
These include:
* From October 2017, a £10 toxicity charge or
T-Charge will apply to the oldest and most
polluting vehicles in Central London. Drivers will
be paying £21.50 total during peak congestion, so
the message here is clear - polluting vehicles aren’t
welcome. TfL and the Mayor have also launched
a free online vehicle checker - so you can check if
your vehicle will be charged.
* The world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone
(ULEZ) is proposed to start as early as 2019 -
superseeding the T-charge and creating stricter
emissions standards for diesel vehicles, 24 hours,
7 days a week. Those that do not comply will face
a charge. This is expected to reduce harmful NOx
(Nitrogen Oxides) emissions by about 50% in
central London, 40% in inner London and 30% in
outer London.
* London’s buses
* The Mayor is spending more than £300m to
transform London’s bus fleet by retrofitting
thousands of buses and committing to phase out
pure diesel double decker buses from 2018.
* Twelve Low Emission Bus Zones will put the
greenest buses on the capital’s most polluted
routes, with the first located in Putney High Street
and Brixton Road. The zones are expected to
reduce NOx emissions by 84% and thousands
of schoolchildren in these areas will benefit from
cleaner air.
* London and Paris will be launching a new vehicle
scoring scheme to help reduce the number of
polluting vehicles in their cities. The Cleaner
Vehicle Checker will show Londoners how much
toxic NOx new cars emit, helping them to choose
and buy less polluting vehicles. It will also strongly
encourage manufacturers to build cleaner vehicles
sooner.
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