Scale-up needs

Since 2000, a cumulative total of 6.2 billion treatments have been delivered to >820 million people at least once. In 2015, national programmes targeted 698.3 million people for treatment during MDA and according to the data reported to WHO by September 2015, treated 556.2 million for a programme coverage of 79.6%. Coverage of the total population requiring MDA was 58.8%, an improvement over 2014, but indicative of the need for scale-up of MDA. 

Out of the 73 countries considered endemic at the start of 2015, MDA was no longer required in 18 countries where post-MDA surveillance has been ongoing, and the remaining 55 countries were considered to require MDA. At least one round of MDA has been implemented in every endemic implementation unit (IU, the administration unit at which the programme is implemented) now in 25 countries (13 in 2015), i.e. achieved 100% geographical coverage. An additional 20 countries are implementing MDA but have not yet reached all endemic IUs. Among 10 countries that have not started MDA, 1 country was determined not to require MDA, and 3 countries still need to confirm their requirement for MDA

It is a huge challenge to successfully eliminate this disease by 2020 given that many countries, often those in Africa, are faced with civil conflict, co-infection and inadequate financial support often making treatment difficult.  As we approach 2020  every effort must be made to help these countries catch up.