Niger first in Africa to eliminate river blindness OMS confirms

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized Niger as the pioneer in Africa—and the fifth globally—to halt the transmission of Onchocerca volvulus, the parasite behind river blindness, an infectious disease notorious for causing irreversible blindness.

« Eliminating a disease is a monumental achievement that demands relentless dedication, » stated Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. « Niger’s unwavering commitment to freeing its people from this stigmatizing, poverty-inducing illness is a testament to global progress in combating neglected tropical diseases. This milestone not only proves elimination is attainable but also offers hope to nations still battling against river blindness. »

River blindness, or onchocerciasis, ranks as the second leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, trailing only trachoma. Spread through bites from infected blackflies near water sources, it predominantly affects rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Yemen, with smaller endemic zones in Latin America.

country-led initiatives and global partnerships drive success

Between 1976 and 1989, Niger participated in the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) in West Africa, deploying vector control measures like insecticide spraying. This drastically reduced transmission rates. Following donations of ivermectin from Merck & Co. (MSD), mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns using ivermectin and albendazole were launched from 2008 to 2019 in lymphatic filariasis-endemic areas—regions also burdened by onchocerciasis. Since ivermectin targets both diseases, this dual approach inadvertently contributed to halting Onchocerca volvulus transmission.

By 2014, Niger initiated preliminary assessments to confirm transmission interruption after ceasing MDA in most regions. Entomological and epidemiological surveys later confirmed the success of combined vector control and drug administration, reflected in a dramatic drop in prevalence—from around 60% to just 0.02%.

Critical to this victory were partnerships between Niger’s government, WHO, and NGOs. These collaborations mobilized resources, technical support, and continuous monitoring of disease prevalence and impact, enabling rapid strategy adjustments to ensure intervention effectiveness.

« For generations, river blindness has inflicted immense human suffering and stifled economic growth in affected communities, » noted Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. « Niger’s achievement not only liberates its people from this burden but also sets a powerful example for other African nations in eliminating neglected tropical diseases. The country has already demonstrated leadership in 2013 by eliminating Guinea worm disease, marking yet another historic milestone. »

global progress and Africa’s leadership

Globally, 54 countries have successfully eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease. Niger joins a select group—Colombia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Guatemala (2016), and Mexico (2015)—in having WHO-certified elimination of river blindness, all located in the Americas.

Within the WHO African Region, 21 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease. For Niger, this marks the second elimination: it was certified free of Guinea worm disease transmission in 2013.