Given proper facilities, it is possible to diagnose using Card Agglutination Tests (CATT) for stage 1 and lumbar punctures with visual identification by microscopy for stage 2. Treatment is through infusions of pentamidine or suramin during stage 1. Stage 2 requires eflornithine in combination with nifurtimox. Drug resistance is not currently a great issue.

All current forms of diagnostics require access to electricity for microscopes, rockers, centrifuges, and refrigeration.

Most sufferers are living in poor and remote areas with limited access to adequate health services, which complicates the surveillance and therefore the diagnosis and treatment of cases. In addition, displacement of populations, war and poverty are important factors that facilitate transmission. This means that villagers are effectively given a death sentence once infected.