WHO: Niger Becomes the First African Country to Eliminate Onchocerciasis
Geneva, January 30 (Hibya) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that Niger has become the first country in the African region to completely eliminate onchocerciasis, also known as "river blindness".
According to a WHO statement, Niger is the first African country to have completely eradicated this disease.
Onchocerciasis is a parasitic disease and the second most common cause of infectious blindness worldwide, after trachoma.
«This disease is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected black flies and is particularly common in riverine areas. It primarily affects rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Yemen, with smaller endemic areas in parts of Latin America».
Albania News Agency