NIGER has made history as the first African country to eliminate river blindness, a parasitic disease that is one of the world’s leading causes of blindness, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Thursday.
According to WHO, Niger is ‘the fifth country globally and the first in Africa to be acknowledged for interrupting transmission of the parasite Onchocerca volvulus,’ which causes river blindness. The disease is primarily transmitted through the bites of black flies that breed near rivers and carry the parasite.
Decades of efforts lead to success
As reported by AFP, WHO confirmed that Niger’s coordinated approach to treatment and vector control significantly reduced the prevalence of the disease from approximately 60 percent to a mere 0.02 percent.
Niger’s success is attributed to a two-phase intervention strategy. Between 1976 and 1989, Niger, alongside other West African nations, participated in a WHO-led programme that used insecticides to control the black fly population. Later, from 2008 to 2019, mass drug administration campaigns distributed ivermectin and albendazole to further reduce infections.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed Niger’s achievement, stating, ‘Liberating its population from this blinding, stigmatising illness that causes so much human suffering among the poorest is a remarkable public health milestone.’
Economic and social impact
The elimination of river blindness is expected to have lasting socio-economic benefits for Niger. WHO Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti noted that the disease has long hindered economic development by forcing communities to abandon rivers, which are vital for agriculture and livelihoods.
The WHO also highlighted the importance of collaboration in Niger’s success, crediting the government’s efforts alongside international health organisations and NGOs.
A major milestone in public health
River blindness is the second-leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, after trachoma, and remains a significant public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen, and parts of Latin America.
Niger has now eliminated two major neglected tropical diseases, having been certified free of Guinea worm disease (Dracunculiasis) in 2013. The WHO hopes Niger’s achievement will inspire other African nations to accelerate their efforts in tackling similar diseases.
With this landmark success, Niger has set a precedent for other countries in the region, proving that eliminating river blindness is possible through sustained public health interventions and global partnerships.
