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Yaws in the Solomon Islands.
D Fegan1, M Glennon, G Macbride-Stewart
1AGC Hospital Obuasi, Accra, Ghana, W. Africa.
The Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|February 1, 1990
Summary
Yaws, a chronic disease, resurged in the Solomon Islands despite mass treatment. Current World Health Organization (WHO) control strategies may be ineffective, suggesting integration into primary health care is needed.
Area of Science:
- Tropical Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Yaws, a chronic, relapsing, non-venereally transmitted disease caused by Treponema pertenue, saw dramatically reduced prevalence in the Solomon Islands following a 1950s WHO mass treatment campaign.
- The disease was presumed eradicated until an outbreak occurred in 1981, necessitating further interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of yaws control strategies in the Solomon Islands.
- To assess the current applicability of World Health Organization (WHO) mass treatment policies for yaws.
- To propose alternative control methods integrated into primary health care (PHC).
Main Methods:
- A mass treatment survey was conducted in 1984, following modified WHO guidelines.
- Subsequent yaws recurrence led to a further treatment survey in 1987.
- Observations were made based on recent experiences in yaws control.
Main Results:
- Yaws recurred after the 1984 mass treatment campaign, requiring another survey in 1987.
- The yaws disease appears to be attenuated in the Solomon Islands.
- The current WHO control policy proved to be an inappropriate method for managing yaws in the region.
Conclusions:
- The resurgence of yaws indicates that WHO mass treatment policies may no longer be suitable for the Solomon Islands.
- A revised control strategy, integrated into the existing primary health care (PHC) structure, is recommended for effective yaws management.