{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T05:28:00Z","timestamp":1790659680384,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a vector-borne parasitic disease that can clinically manifest as disabling lymphedema. Although the LF elimination program aims to reduce disability and to interrupt transmission, there has been a scarcity of disease morbidity management programs, particularly on a national scale. This report describes the implementation of the first nationwide LF lymphedema management program. The program, which was initiated in Togo in 2007, focuses on patient behavioral change. Its goal is two-fold: to achieve a sustainable program on a national-scale, and to serve as a model for other countries. The program has five major components: 1) train at least one health staff in lymphedema care in each health facility in Togo; 2) inform people with a swollen leg that care is available at their dispensary; 3) train patients on self-care; 4) provide a support system to motivate patients to continue self-care by training community health workers or family members and providing in home follow-up; and 5) integrate lymphedema management into the curriculum for medical staff. The program achieved the inclusion of lymphedema management in the routine healthcare package. The evaluation after three years estimated that 79% of persons with a swollen leg in Togo were enrolled in the program. The adherence rate to the proposed World Health Organization treatment of washing, exercise, and leg elevation was more than 70% after three years of the program, resulting in a stabilization of the lymphedema stage and a slight decrease in reported acute attacks among program participants. Health staff and patients consider the program successful in reaching and educating the patients. After the external funding ended, the morbidity management program is maintained through routine Ministry of Health activities.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.12-0453","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2013,5,21]],"date-time":"2013-05-21T05:08:13Z","timestamp":1369112893000},"page":"16-22","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["It is Possible: Availability of Lymphedema Case Management in each Health Facility in Togo. Program Description, Evaluation, and Lessons Learned"],"prefix":"10.4269","volume":"89","author":[{"given":"Els","family":"Mathieu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ameyo M.","family":"Dorkenoo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Datagni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul T.","family":"Cantey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kodjo","family":"Morgah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kira","family":"Harvey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joshua","family":"Ziperstein","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naomi","family":"Drexler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gina","family":"Chapleau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yao","family":"Sodahlon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2795","reference":[{"key":"R1","series-title":"Lymphatic Filariasis Fact Sheet No. 102","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2012"},{"key":"R2","series-title":"The World Health Report: Changing History","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2004"},{"key":"R3","series-title":"Wkly Epidemiol Rec","first-page":"581","article-title":"Managing morbidity and preventing disability in the global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: WHO position statement","volume":"86","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2011"},{"key":"R4","series-title":"Soc Sci Med","first-page":"30","article-title":"Health-related stigma among women with lymphatic filariasis from the Dominican Republic and Ghana","volume":"68","author":"Person","year":"2009"},{"key":"R5","series-title":"Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg","first-page":"391","article-title":"A survey of treatment practices and burden of lymphoedema in Togo","volume":"101","author":"Richard","year":"2007"},{"key":"R6","series-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis","first-page":"e128","article-title":"Neglected patients with a neglected disease? A qualitative study of lymphatic filariasis","volume":"1","author":"Perera","year":"2007"},{"key":"R7","series-title":"Soc Sci Med","first-page":"1401","article-title":"Lymphatic filariasis and the women of India","volume":"42","author":"Bandyopadhyay","year":"1996"},{"key":"R8","series-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg","first-page":"153","article-title":"Collecting baseline information for national morbidity alleviation programs: different methods to estimate lymphatic filariasis morbidity prevalence","volume":"78","author":"Mathieu","year":"2008"},{"key":"R9","series-title":"Parasitol Today","first-page":"251","article-title":"The economic burden of lymphatic filariasis in India","volume":"16","author":"Ramaiah","year":"2000"},{"key":"R10","series-title":"Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis as a Public Health Problem, in Resolution of the Executive Board of the WHO: Fiftieth World Health Assembly, Agenda Item 20","author":"WHA50, 29","year":"1997"},{"key":"R11","series-title":"Rev Soc Bras Med Trop","first-page":"325","article-title":"Controlling morbidity and interrupting transmission: twin pillars of lymphatic filariasis elimination","volume":"23","author":"Seim","year":"1999"},{"key":"R12","series-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis","first-page":"e317","article-title":"The global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: health impact after 8 years","volume":"2","author":"Ottesen","year":"2008"},{"key":"R13","series-title":"Trop Med Int Health","first-page":"763","article-title":"Efficacy and sustainability of a footcare programme in preventing acute attacks of adenolymphangitis in Brugian filariasis. TM & IH","volume":"7","author":"Suma","year":"2002"},{"key":"R14","series-title":"Trends Parasitol","first-page":"340","article-title":"Progress towards eliminating lymphatic filariasis in Zanzibar: a model programme","volume":"22","author":"Mohammed","year":"2006"},{"key":"R15","series-title":"Filaria J","first-page":"1","article-title":"Impact on the quality of life of lymphoedema patients following introduction of a hygiene and skin care regimen in a Guyanese community endemic for lymphatic filariasis: a preliminary clinical intervention study","volume":"2","author":"McPherson","year":"2003"},{"key":"R16","series-title":"Wkly Epidemiol Rec","first-page":"417","article-title":"Lymphatic filariasis: progress of disability prevention activities","volume":"79","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2004"},{"key":"R17","series-title":"Ann Trop Med Parasitol","first-page":"487","article-title":"Efficacy of a limb-care regime in preventing acute adenolymphangitis in patients with lymphoedema caused by bancroftian filariasis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka","volume":"101","author":"Wijesinghe","year":"2007"},{"key":"R18","series-title":"The World Fact Book, Africa: Togo","author":"Central Intelligence Agency","year":"2012"},{"key":"R19","series-title":"Wkly Epidemiol Rec","first-page":"365","article-title":"Global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: progress report on mass drug administration in 2009","volume":"85","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2010"},{"key":"R20","series-title":"Wkly Epidemiol Rec","first-page":"581","article-title":"Managing morbidity and preventing disability in the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: WHO position statement","volume":"86","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2011"},{"key":"R21","series-title":"Basic Lymphoedema Management: Treatment and Prevention of Problems Associated with Lymphatic Filariasis","author":"Dreyer","year":"2002"},{"key":"R22","series-title":"Qual Health Res","first-page":"905","article-title":"Cultural models of illness and recovery in breast cancer support groups","volume":"14","author":"Coreil","year":"2004"},{"key":"R23","series-title":"Trop Med Int Health","first-page":"325","article-title":"Short communication: an assessment of the use of malaria rapid tests by village health volunteers in rural Laos","volume":"9","author":"Mayxay","year":"2004"},{"key":"R24","series-title":"Malar J","first-page":"308","article-title":"Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Demogratic Republic of Congo","volume":"8","author":"Hawkes","year":"2009"},{"key":"R25","series-title":"Trop Med Int Health","first-page":"1191","article-title":"Local fever illness classifications: implications for home management of malaria strategies","volume":"9","author":"Nsungwa-Sabiiti","year":"2004"},{"key":"R26","series-title":"Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg","first-page":"446","article-title":"Scarification as a risk factor for rapid progression of filarial elephantiasis","volume":"91","author":"Dunyo","year":"1997"},{"key":"R27","series-title":"S\u00e9rie Entomol M\u00e9d Parasitol","first-page":"279","article-title":"\u00c9tude parasitologique, clinique et entomologique sur la filariose de Bancroft dans le sud du Dahomey et du Togo","volume":"7","author":"Brengues","year":"1969"}],"container-title":["The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajtmh.org\/view\/journals\/tpmd\/89\/1\/article-p16.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajtmh.org\/downloadpdf\/journals\/tpmd\/89\/1\/article-p16.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajtmh.org\/downloadpdf\/journals\/tpmd\/89\/1\/article-p16.xml","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,7]],"date-time":"2024-08-07T18:29:35Z","timestamp":1723055375000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajtmh.org\/view\/journals\/tpmd\/89\/1\/article-p16.xml"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,10]]},"references-count":27,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1"},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4269\/ajtmh.12-0453","relation":{},"ISSN":["0002-9637","1476-1645"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0002-9637","type":"print"},{"value":"1476-1645","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,10]]}}}