Invitation Letter - Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis

March 2010
Dear Colleague
Sixth Meeting of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF)
Grand Hilton Hotel, Seoul, Korea 1-3 rd June 2010
The Government of Korea has generously agreed to host the sixth meeting of the Global Alliance to
Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in Seoul from the 1st-3rd June 2010. You are invited to participate in the
meeting and contribute to furthering the aim of eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.
As you will be aware lymphatic filariasis is a global disease found in more than 80 countries. Although the
highest burden is in Africa and India, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea in the Western Pacific region
remain challenging problems whilst WHO has certified that the Peoples Republic of China has eliminated
transmission as has the host country of GAELF6, the Republic of Korea. Pacific Island nations have also
made great strides in their efforts to eliminate the disease over the past decade. It is particularly
appropriate therefore, that Korea hosts this 6th GAELF meeting. This will be the second time a GAELF
biennial meeting has been held in the Western Pacific Region – in 2006 it was held in Fiji.
With advances in transportation, the world today has become a so-called ‘Global Village’. Global warming,
environmental and ecological changes have led to a gradual increase in tropical and vector-borne diseases
as well as affecting patterns of pathogen infections. Thus, public health problems of Neglected Tropical
Diseases (NTD) are no longer limited to certain tropical regions, but go beyond national borders, urgently
requiring a concerted global effort for prevention.
The Global Programme was launched in 2000. To date of the 80 plus endemic countries, 51 have active
programmes and more than 496 million people were treated in 2008. Overall scaling-up has been rapid
and we hope to be able to continue this momentum to achieve the target of elimination as a public health
problem by 2020. Notably several programmes have reduced levels of microfilaremia to 0% and are now
in the process of verifying interruption of transmission in implementation units.
Since the fifth meeting of GAELF Arusha, Tanzania, there has been significant progress in the fight against
lymphatic filariasis. Credit for such progress must rightly go to the endemic countries themselves since the
success of programmes depends on their commitment and dedication. At the same time, the very
considerable contributions made by partner organizations – such as GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co. Inc.
from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, donors (including governments and the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation), research and academic institutions – also deserve recognition and gratitude.
There is still a long way to go, however, before the entire global at-risk population can be reached and the
target set by the World Health Assembly in 1997 to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem
by the year 2020 can be achieved.
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) had been endemic in Korea for more than a millennium. Since the detection of
parasites in an elephantiasis patient in 1927, Jeju Island and inland parts of North Gyeongsang Province had
been identified as endemic areas. Up until the early 1990s, as high as 9.8% LF prevalence had been
reported among residents in coastal areas of South Jeolla Province, and both public and private institutions,
including universities, have made continued efforts towards treatment and elimination of lymphatic
filariasis. To achieve WHO certification of LF-free status, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention had implemented LF elimination programme from 2001 to 2007 and confirmed that the
transmission had been interrupted and LF was no longer prevalent in the country. In 2008, the WHO LF
Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis| GAELF Secretariat, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine,
Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA
T: 0151 705 3145; F: 0151 705 3370; E: gaelf@liv.ac.uk; W: www.filariasis.org

Elimination Certification Committee certified elimination status of Korea, which holds great significance as
the first parasitic disease to be eliminated in Korea.
In commemoration of obtaining WHO certification for LF elimination, Korea will host the 6th Meeting of the
Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) at the Grand Hilton Hotel, Seoul
(http://www.hilton.co.uk/HiWayWeb/seo/grandseoul?WT.srch=1). This meeting is expected to serve as an
opportunity to further accelerate the global effort for LF elimination as well as relevant research studies.
The theme of the meeting is ‘Half time in LF elimination: Teaming up with NTDs’ and will focus on strategic
issues with the outcomes and recommendations from discussions providing a platform for the next decade
in an environment where global health will remain high on the development agenda. The working
languages of the meeting will be English and French.
Regrettably, the Global Alliance is unable to provide financial support for your participation. We sincerely
hope, however, that this does not preclude your attendance.
The registration form can be accessed at http://www.filariasis.org/events/registration_form.html
and additional information at http://www.filariasis.org/events/general_info.html
We hope that you will be able to attend the meeting and look forward to receiving your completed
registration form.
Yours sincerely
Jong-Koo Lee, MD, Ph.D
Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ministry of Health and Welfare
Republic of Korea
Professor David H. Molyneux
Executive Secretary, Executive Group
Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis
FURTHER INFORMATION
Should you require any further information regarding the meeting please contact the Secretariat, Global
Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis.
Tel. 44 151 705 3145; Fax 44 151 705 3370; email gaelf@liv.ac.uk
The sixth meeting of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis is supported with funding from:
Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs National Institute of Health, Korea
GlaxoSmithKline
Merck & Co. Inc./Mectizan Donation Program
Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis| GAELF Secretariat, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine,
Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA
T: 0151 705 3145; F: 0151 705 3370; E: gaelf@liv.ac.uk; W: www.filariasis.org