In short
The disease, caused by a worm which breeds in fast flowing water, causes skin rashes, intense itching, skin de-pigmentation and severe blindness. It was first reported in Kabarole district in 1991 and since then communities in the affected areas have been undergoing mass treatment.
The Ministry of Health has declared the total elimination of River Blindness in Kabarole district. The vector borne disease was common in the Kijura town council, Kabende and Hakibale sub counties, which fall under the World Health Organization-WHO's blindness transmission zones.
Statistics from the district vector control department indicate that out of 100 people in each of the sub counties, 80 were found to be suffering from river blindness.
The disease, caused by a worm which breeds in fast flowing water, causes skin rashes, intense itching, skin de-pigmentation and severe blindness. It was first reported in Kabarole district in 1991 and since then communities in the affected areas have been undergoing mass treatment. It is also endemic in parts of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Latin America.
Richard Okwi, from the Vector Control Department in the Ministry of Health says that mass drug administration, technical mobilization and provision of ivermectin drugs to lower health centers to control the spread of the disease contributed to the successful elimination of the disease.
Okwi however says that medical workers are supposed to remain alert for any outbreak of the disease in the sub counties.
//Cue in: "…i am grateful...
Cue out: ...alert for new cases"//
Dr Richard Mugahi, the Kabarole district Health Officer says that prior to the elimination of the disease, a three-year monitoring period was conducted in the endemic areas which involved testing flies and blood samples for evidence of River Blindness in the community.
Mugahi says tests later revealed that the areas were free from River Blindness.
//Cue in: "in 2014…
Cue out: "…mass treatment."//
Carter Centre, a non-government organisation working to improve life in over 80 countries says majority of river blindness occurs in Africa, where more than 120 million people are at risk and hundreds of thousands have been blinded by the condition.
The Carter Centre has worked with ministries of health to eliminate river blindness in all 10 countries in Africa and Latin America in the areas where the Center fights the neglected disease.
Statistics from the district vector control department indicate that out of 100 people in each of the sub counties, 80 were found to be suffering from river blindness.
The disease, caused by a worm which breeds in fast flowing water, causes skin rashes, intense itching, skin de-pigmentation and severe blindness. It was first reported in Kabarole district in 1991 and since then communities in the affected areas have been undergoing mass treatment. It is also endemic in parts of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Latin America.
Richard Okwi, from the Vector Control Department in the Ministry of Health says that mass drug administration, technical mobilization and provision of ivermectin drugs to lower health centers to control the spread of the disease contributed to the successful elimination of the disease.
Okwi however says that medical workers are supposed to remain alert for any outbreak of the disease in the sub counties.
//Cue in: "…i am grateful...
Cue out: ...alert for new cases"//
Dr Richard Mugahi, the Kabarole district Health Officer says that prior to the elimination of the disease, a three-year monitoring period was conducted in the endemic areas which involved testing flies and blood samples for evidence of River Blindness in the community.
Mugahi says tests later revealed that the areas were free from River Blindness.
//Cue in: "in 2014…
Cue out: "…mass treatment."//
Carter Centre, a non-government organisation working to improve life in over 80 countries says majority of river blindness occurs in Africa, where more than 120 million people are at risk and hundreds of thousands have been blinded by the condition.
The Carter Centre has worked with ministries of health to eliminate river blindness in all 10 countries in Africa and Latin America in the areas where the Center fights the neglected disease.
