The Final Countdown

Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, is on track to become a thing of the past in Pacific Island countries, according to the WHO.
 
The organization announced in October that the Cook Islands, Niue and Vanuatu had eliminated the mosquito-borne illness, which causes swelling and thickening of the skin, through mass drug administration programs.
 
The remaining 13 Pacific nations aim to follow suit by 2020, said the WHO’s Padmasiri Eswara Aratchige in an interview with Radio New Zealand. The success of the program, he said, can be replicated with other neglected tropical diseases. Already, similar efforts are underway to fight trachoma.
Source: Radio New Zealand