STAMP OUT ONCHO

Onchocerciasis (river blindness) elimination is at risk of losing momentum now that the disease is under control as "a public health problem." In most endemic areas, blindness is increasingly rare and skin disease is not as prevalent as it once was now that Mectizan has been distributed at least once annually for more than 30 years. In some areas, vector control has also contributed to the gradual disappearance of onchocerciasis. Four countries in the Americas have successfully eliminated the disease and are validated by WHO/PAHO. In Africa, treatment with Mectizan is being stopped in large regions at the sub-national level. These are remarkable achievements!... But the fight is far from over. As with many other disease elimination efforts, the last mile is the longest... As disease manifestations are increasingly rare, it is difficult to maintain pressure on the disease with continued use of Mectizan and other interventions. Communities may not be as committed to distributing and..