Niyam, 31 January (IANS). Garba Hakimi, Minister of Public Health, Population and Social Affairs of Niger, officially announced the country’s oncoserusiasis free.
According to the Xinhua news agency, with this historical achievement, Niger has become the first country in Africa to eliminate the disease. Which particularly affected the population living near some waterways.
On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) congratulated Niger on taking necessary steps to end oncoucasiasis.
Niger is considered to be the fifth country in the world and the first country in Africa, successfully prevented the transmission of parasite oncauserka Volvulus.
The other four countries reaching this milestone are located in the US. These include Columbia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Guatemala (2016), and Mexico (2015).
Hakimi on Thursday thanked the efforts made in the last 15 years, which provided the necessary scientific evidence for the abolition of the disease in the country.
WHO representative Casimir Manngu appreciated Niger’s commitment and leadership.
WHO Director General Tedros Adnom Ghebreyasus said, “I congratulate Niger for the freedom from the disease that blinds and tarnished, this disease causes great pain for the poor.”
“This success is another evidence of the significant progress made by us in the fight against neglected tropical diseases. This achievement hopes to other countries struggling with oncoserusiasis.”
The second tropical disease is the second tropical disease that ends in oncoucoussis niger, which was certified by WHO to disrupt the transmission of dracunuliasis in 2013.
Oncocaurusiasis, commonly known as river blindness, is a parasitic disease and is the second largest infectious cause of blindness worldwide after trachoma. It spreads to humans mainly by the bite of infectious black flies found in areas along the river banks. The disease mainly affects rural population in sub-city Africa and Yemen, while small spatial areas are found in parts of Latin America.
Between 1976 and 1989, under the WHO Oncoserusiasis Control Program (OCP) in West Africa, Niger took vector control measures by spraying pesticides, which led to a significant decrease in the levels of oncoserusiasis transmission.
-IANS
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