Adding guinea worm control components : guidelines for water and sanitation projects

has committed itself to adding a guinea worm disease control element to all existing A.I.D. water projects. Using Togo as a case study, this document provides step by step guidelines for adapting the World Health Organization"s guinea worm control strategy to local realities. This strategy includes: surveillance to identify affected areas and monitor the disease"s impact; targeting endemic areas for development of potable water sources; chemical control of cyclops (the disease vector); and community health education. Brief descriptions of various projects in Togo, conducted by A.I.D., UNICEF, and World Neighbors, illustrate how each implemented their own guinea worm control activity. The document notes the advantages of adding a guinea worm control component to an existing project, e.g., the presence of trained personnel, available materials and equipment, and established rapport with villagers. It also notes that adding-on can overburden those same resources, and recommends that careful research and planning be done before an add-on is implemented. Community involvement in planning, executing, and evaluating guinea worm control activities, it is suggested, is the key means of ensuring long-term success.