Fighting Disease
We are fighting to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, a mosquito-borne disease endemic in Haiti, by 2020
Spirit of Notre Dame
Learn more about the life and passion of Fr. Thomas Streit, C.S.C., the founder and director of the Haiti Program.
As much as 28% of the population in endemic areas of Haiti suffers from Lymphatic Filariasis.
Founded in 1993, the University of Notre Dame Haiti Program seeks to achieve the historic goal of eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) in Haiti by 2020. LF, a mosquito-borne disease that affects over 2 million Haitians, is the second leading cause of long-term disfigurement and disability worldwide. It can be eliminated in Haiti through mass drug administration and the distribution of co-fortified salt. The Haiti Program is partnering with the Haitian Ministry of Health, corporations, and non-governmental organizations to forever eliminate the disease in Haiti and alleviate the suffering of Haitians infected with LF. Our innovative work also provides an exportable model for LF elimination in other developing nations.