In 1995, WHO established an independent International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication, or ICCDE.
The Commission meets as and when necessary at WHO headquarters in Geneva to evaluate the status of countries applying for certification of dracunculiasis eradication and to recommend whether a particular country should be certified as free of transmission.
A country endemic for dracunculiasis reporting zero indigenous cases over a complete calendar year is deemed to have prevented transmission of guinea-worm disease and is classified as being in the precertification phase.
To be declared free of dracunculiasis, a country that has stopped transmission of the disease must have reported zero indigenous cases through active surveillance for at least 3 consecutive calendar years.
A national report should document all actions taken from the beginning of the programme, including the 3-year period, to interrupt transmission and confirm zero occurrences of guinea-worm disease cases.
After this period, an International Certification Team (ICT) visits the country to verify the information contained in the national report. During its visit, the ICT assesses the adequacy of the surveillance system and reviews records of any investigations for rumoured cases and subsequent actions taken.
Current members
Dr. Joel G. Breman
Chairperson, ICCDE. Senior Scientist Emeritus, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, USA
Professor David H. Molyneux
Senior Professorial Fellow, Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK
Dr. Pascal Magnussen
Senior Researcher, Institute for Veterinary Disease Biology, section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor Robert Tinga Guiguemde
Chairperson of the Burkina National Academy of Sciences, University of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Dr. Mark L. Eberhard
Guest Researcher, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA
Dr Ashok Kumar
Retired Additional Director General, Central Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India
Dr. Abdulhakim Al-Kuhlani
Director General, Disease Control and Surveillance, Yemen
Mrs Regina Oforiwaa Addey
College of Health, Kintampo, Ghana