Title:
Human African trypanosomiasis in a rural community, Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors:
Lutumba, P.
,
Makieya, E.
,
Shaw, A.
,
Meheus, F.
,
Boelaert, M.
Year:
2007
Serial number:
2
Journal:
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume:
13
Pages:
248
-
254
Language:
eng
Subject:
Health and Nutrition
Keywords:
health
,
disease prevention and control
Abstract:
According to the World Health Organization, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) (sleeping sickness) caused the loss of ≈1.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2002. This article describes the effect of HAT during 2000–2002 in Buma, a rural community near Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Retrospective questionnaire surveys were used to estimate HAT-related household costs and DALYs. The HAT outbreak in Buma involved 57 patients and affected 47 (21%) households. The cost to each household was equivalent to 5 months’ income for that household. The total number of HAT-related DALYs was 2,145, and interventions to control HAT averted 1,408 DALYs. The cost per DALY averted was US $17. Because HAT has a serious economic effect on households and control interventions are cost-effective, considering only global burden of disease rankings for resource allocation could
lead to misguided priority setting if applied without caution in HAT-affected countries.
Organization:
KIT - Royal Tropical Institute
Country:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Region:
Africa
,
Africa South of Sahara
,
Central Africa
Category:
Research
Right:
Copyright status unknown
Document type:
E-article
File:
118188.pdf