Photo by Michel Isamuna on Unsplash (illustrative)
On 30 January 2025, the World Health Organization verified that Niger had eliminated transmission of onchocerciasis, also called river blindness. It is the first country in Africa, and the fifth in the world, to reach this milestone.
Key facts
Onchocerciasis is the second leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide and is spread by black flies that breed in fast-flowing rivers.
Niger sprayed black fly breeding sites from 1976 to 1989, then ran mass treatment with ivermectin and albendazole for about 12 years from 2008.
Prevalence in affected areas fell from about 60% to 0.02%.
The only other countries verified free of the disease are Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Guatemala.
Why it matters
River blindness strikes rural riverside communities and has held back their economic development. More than 99% of people infected live in Africa and Yemen, so Niger's success shows elimination is possible where the disease is most entrenched.
Worth noting
Many other African countries still need years of mass treatment before they can stop. Niger must keep monitoring for any return of the parasite, especially near its borders.