Eliminating lymphatic filariasis - Is it worth it?

As the 2020 target for LF elimination looms, we are still far from reaching this goal. This must not be considered as a failure of the programme, but instead as failure to set realistic and achievable targets.

Now, findings on household-level productivity loss among people with LF – and for other neglected diseases - are most important for themselves and their household members and for the world to know. Of all the evidence for rational policy making that is needed, economic evidence is often politically most interesting to policy makers at the global and local levels: they justify continuing and increased investments.

New approaches to deal with transmission hotspots, cross-border endemicity, conflicts and environmental catastrophes and integration of vertical programmes into fragile systems require continued research and further investments in programme implementation to meet elimination objectives. And now, let us learn from our past and present experiences and trash the targets.