Research experts have declared that Nigeria is approaching the interruption stage of Onchocerciasis, commonly known as River Blindness, following decades of aggressive treatment and monitoring.
Speaking to health editors in Lagos, Dr. Babatunde Adewale, a Public Health Parasitologist and Director of Research, Public Health & Epidemiology at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), revealed that ten states including Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Anambra, Abia, and Borno have achieved transmission interruption of the disease.
He said mass administration of ivermectin, the primary treatment for Onchocerciasis, began in the 1990s and has played a key role in reducing transmission rates in endemic communities.
Adewale explained that laboratory assessments of blood samples—over 3,000 per state—showed infection rates as low as 0.1%, indicating a halt in transmission in several areas.
“Treatment has been ongoing for more than 15 years in most endemic states. Although 43 million Nigerians remain at risk, we are firmly on course to meet the national elimination target by 2030,” he stated.
Disease Breeding and Impact
Onchocerciasis, caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus and transmitted by blackflies (Simulium damnosum), is prevalent in all Nigerian states except Lagos and Rivers. The blackflies breed in fast-flowing rivers, primarily in rural areas.
According to Dr. Adewale, the disease is closely tied to rural poverty and food insecurity. “Most of those affected live in rural communities, and since the rural feeds the urban, it has implications for national food security,” he noted.
He stressed the continued importance of administering ivermectin even after symptoms subside, as the adult parasites live for years and continue reproduction.
Dr. Adewale emphasized that ivermectin is free in all affected areas and that treatment is typically administered to children from the age of five.
Climate Change and Malaria
Also speaking, Dr. Adeniyi Adeneye, a Research Fellow and medical sociologist at NIMR, raised concerns about the impact of climate change on malaria transmission in Nigeria, which remains the country with the highest global malaria burden, contributing over a quarter of global cases annually.
While he noted high public acceptance for the malaria vaccine, he advised government and health workers to strengthen community engagement to combat misinformation and increase uptake, especially through trusted public health facilities.
HIV: Empowerment Boosts Drug Adherence
In a related development, Dr. Kazeem Adewale Osuolale, another Senior Research Fellow at NIMR, said empowering People Living With HIV (PLHIV) through income-generating opportunities significantly improves treatment adherence.
In a pilot study conducted by the institute, drug adherence rose from 69% to over 100% in the empowered group, while the control group improved from 84% to 99%.
“Our study confirms that poverty, not unwillingness, is the major barrier to treatment compliance,” Osuolale said, recommending that empowerment strategies be embedded into HIV programmes.
The experts concluded that Nigeria’s current trajectory in combating infectious diseases is encouraging but stressed the need for sustained commitment, funding, and inclusive community-based interventions to reach final milestones.