In the late 1970s, Japan made history by becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF). Also known as elephantiasis, this disease causes painful swelling of the limbs, and in advanced stages permanent disability.
I want to tell the story of the Pacific Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, called PacELF, for short. The achievements unfolding across 22 Pacific Island nations exemplify what the world should be doing on a greater scale to end LF.
I first learned about the unimaginable and unforgettable suffering of this disease as a young student in Tokyo. I was further exposed to its devastating impacts during my posts in Samoa and Vanuatu in the 1990s for the World Health Organization (WHO).