Elimination of human onchocerciasis: progress report, 2020

ABSTRACT

In this report, four countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico) have completed the WHO-recommended process for verification of the interruption of human onchocerciasis transmission, and many others have ceased mass drug administration (MDA), completed post-treatment surveillance (PTS), or both in at least one transmission area on their territory. Interruption of transmission enabled governments to preserve the benefits acquired over many years of effective MDA with Ivermectin and to discontinue MDA permanently, thereby protecting populations living in endemic areas from morbidity and infection. The eradication of human onchocerciasis would contribute significantly to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3, which calls for the eradication of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by 2030. All countries endemic for onchocerciasis have reported instances of COVID-19. The impact of the pandemic on NTD interventions has been discussed elsewhere. In many countries, scheduled MDA rounds were postponed due to efforts to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in onchocerciasis-endemic nations. In 2020, 26.9% fewer patients were treated for onchocerciasis than in 2019. MDA was implemented in fewer nations and implementation units in 2020 (1096 versus 1538 in 2019), resulting in a 27.7% decrease in global geographical coverage. The WHO Global Health Observatory provides access to data submitted by governments.