Dracunculiasis is a debilitating parasitic disease also known as guinea worm disease.
In Pakistan, the last dracunculiasis cases date back to October 1993, while Iran has not reported any cases since the middle of the 1970s. The International Commission consists of 12 independent health experts from all regions of the world. They examine evidence provided by WHO's Member States and advise this organization on whether individual countries and territories can be certified as being free of guinea worm disease. Global eradication will be certified when no cases are reported worldwide for three consecutive years. At its meeting on 23 - 24 January 1997, the Commission examined official reports received from the Ministries of Health of Iran and Pakistan and those from International Certification Teams.