Ethiopia
Status for the period of January to March 2013
Zero cases reported.
109 rumours were reported, investigated and none was confirmed as dracunculiasis.
Summary for 2012
Ethiopia reported a total of 4 cases in 2012, compared with 8 cases during 2011, a reduction of 50%. The cases were reported from 4 villages in two districts (woredas). Only two of the four cases were contained. The first reported case was from Terkudi village in Abobo woreda in April 2012. It was an imported case from the forest area near Utuyu village. Abobo woreda is a formerly endemic area from which the last case was reported in June 2009. The specimen of the worm was confirmed as Dracunculiasis medinensis by WHO’s Collaborating Centre at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States of America. The second case, an indigenous one, was reported from Utuyu village in Gog woreda in May 2012. The third case, an imported case was detected from Okodhi (Agenga) village, Gog woreda in August 2012. The fourth indigenous case, reported in December 2012, was from Uma, Abobo, Gambella.
The Ethiopian Dracunculiasis Eradication Programme offers a cash reward of Birr 1000 (about US$ 58) for voluntary reporting of dracunculiasis cases and for complying with the case containment measures.