Niger Becomes First African Country To Eliminate River Blindness, A Major Cause Of Blindness Worldwide

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified Niger as the first African country to eliminate onchocerciasis, a parasitic disease that causes blindness.

Niger’s Minister of Public Health, Population and Social Affairs, Dr Garba Hakimi, confirmed this on Thursday during a ceremony at the Bravia Hotel in Niamey, where officials celebrated the achievement following years of sustained efforts to combat the disease.

Following this achievement, Niger joins four Latin American countries, including Colombia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Mexico (2015) and Guatemala (2016), that have previously achieved WHO certification for eliminating onchocerciasis.

Speaking, Hakimi said:

This marks the culmination of several years of intense work to combat this disfiguring disease which has caused in the past several thousand cases of blindness and a major economic and social disaster in the affected communities.’

Onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness, is a parasitic disease caused by Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted through the bites of infected blackflies that breed near fast-flowing rivers and streams.

The disease manifests through severe itching skin disfigurement and can lead to vision impairment or blindness. It is the second leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, after trachoma.

According to the WHO, globally, over 99 per cent of onchocerciasis cases are found in sub-Saharan Africa and Yemen; the remaining 1 per cent live on the border between Brazil and Venezuela.

In Niger, Onchocerciasis was previously prevalent in areas near rivers such as Diamangou, Sirba, Mekrou, Tapoa, and Goroubi, impacting health districts including Téra, Bankilaré, Gotheye, Say, Torodi, Kollo, Boboye, Falmeye, Dioundiou, and Gaya.

In 2023, Fatayi Oyediran, the Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Nigeria, claimed approximately 50 million people across 40,000 communities in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory were at risk of infection.

However, significant progress has been made in combating the disease. Transmission has been interrupted in states such as Plateau, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Delta, Imo, Abia, Enugu, and Anambra, leading to the cessation of ivermectin treatment for 29 million individuals in 10 states.

WHO Representative Dr. Casimir Manengu praised Niger’s efforts, stating that the country’s achievement serves as proof that onchocerciasis elimination is possible, as he emphasised the importance of maintaining disease surveillance.

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