Dracunculiasis eradication: global surveillance summary, 2024

Following the recommendations of the International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication (ICCDE), WHO has certified 200 countries, areas and territories, including 188 WHO Member States, as free of the transmission of dracunculiasis caused by Dracunculus medinensis (Guinea-worm disease). The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was the most recent country to be certified, in December 2022. Six countries still await certification: Angola, Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan.

In 2024, 2 countries reported a total of 15  human cases of dracunculiasis in a total of 12 villages, namely, Chad (9 cases) and South Sudan (6 cases). In 2023, 14 cases were reported in 11 villages in 5 countries: Chad (9), South Sudan (2), Cameroon (1), Central African Republic (CAR) (1) and Mali (1).