Pig production has increased tremendously in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), particularly in
smallholder rural communities. The increase in pig production has mainly been due to land scarcity, increase in
pork consumption in many areas including urban centers, and the recognition by many communities of the fast
and greater return of the pig industry, compared with other domesticated livestock industries. Concurrent with
the increase in smallholder pig keeping and pork consumption, there have been increasing reports of Taenia
solium cysticercosis in pigs and humans in the ESA region, although the problems are under-recognized by all
levels in many ESA countries. Having recognizing this, scientists researching T. solium in ESA formed a regional
cysticercosis working group (CWGESA) to increase awareness of the problem and enable effective and sustainable
control of T. solium. This article summarizes the status of T. solium infections in humans and pigs in the ESA
countries and highlights the formation and progress of the CWGESA