River Blindness Medication

More than 120 million people in 30 developing nations are at risk of contracting onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness, a disease of poverty that can rob people of their sight -- and therefore their livelihoods.

We are happy to report that progress is being made in the region:

• the number of people at risk has decreased from more than 600,000 to around 508,400 people
• the number of endemic communities is down to 1,953 from some 2,700 in the late 1990s.

 
Through the generosity of Merck & Co., Inc., PAHEF has partnered in the donation of more than $37 million worth of Mectizan tablets since 1989 — enough for nearly eight million treatments. Currently, Mectizan is reaching more than 400,000 people each year in the Americas.

Photo source: Enabling Access to Health in Latin America report. The Carter Center/Howard 

 

 

 

 
Although there have been improvements in the Americas, river blindness remains endemic in six countries: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela.

Read more about river blindness in the Americas and the Mectizan program:

• Noti-Oncorcercosis report (Programa para la Elimnación de la Oncocercosis en las Américas [OEPA])
• Enabling Access to Health in Latin America report

Photo source: Enabling Access to Health in Latin America report.