WHO verifies Niger as the 1st country in the African Region to eliminate Onchocerciasis.
Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a parasitic disease that affects the skin and eyes.
Caused by - Microscopic worm Onchocerca volvulus.
Symptoms
Transmission - Transmitted to humans by the bites of infected black flies (Genus - Simulium) that breed in fast-flowing rivers.
Vulnerable - More common in people who work in agriculture, especially those who live near rivers.
Early exposure to O. volvulus infection is associated with epilepsy in children.
Prone countries - Primarily affects rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa, and Yemen, with smaller endemic areas foci found in parts of Latin America.
Prevention - Onchocerciasis was brought under control in West Africa through the work of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP).
This was later supplemented by large-scale distribution of ivermectin since 1989.
The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) was launched in 1995 with the objective of controlling onchocerciasis in the remaining endemic countries in Africa.
It is closed at the end of 2015 after beginning the transition to onchocerciasis elimination.
Treatment - Population-based treatment with Ivermectin is the current core strategy to eliminate onchocerciasis, with a minimum requirement of 80% therapeutic coverage.
Ivermectin is donated by Merck under the brand name of Mectizan.
Global status - More than 99% of infected people live in Africa and Yemen, the remaining 1% live on the border between Brazil and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
In 2023 at least 249.5 million people required preventive treatment against onchocerciasis.
Onchocerciasis free countries - Five countries have been verified by WHO as free of onchocerciasis after successfully implementing elimination activities for decades.
4 in the region of the Americas - Colombia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Mexico (2015) and Guatemala (2016), and
