Niger Republic has officially eliminated the transmission of river blindness, making it the first African country to achieve this. This is followed by verification by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

By eliminating river blindness, Niger has not only improved public health but also created an estimated $2.3 billion in economic benefits, partners to the initiative, END Fund and Reaching the Last Mile, have said.

The country added over 17.8 billion working hours as families with river blindness-infected members were able to rejoin the workforce, boosting the nation’s GDP.

This success comes after decades of collaborative efforts between Niger’s Ministry of Health, international partners, and Reaching the Last Mile Fund (RLMF), which provided substantial support for the country’s elimination efforts.

RLMF, co-founded by Reaching the Last Mile, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, partnered with local authorities to gather and submit the evidence required for WHO’s verification of the disease’s elimination.

The National Coordinator for Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis at Niger’s Ministry of Public Health, Dr Salissou Adamou Batchiri, emphasised the profound impact of this achievement.

“Niger is a country rich in natural resources but, for decades, river blindness prevented its people from being able to plant vegetables, rice, and other foods. The disappearance of this disease has created a happier and healthier population, both physically and economically,” he stated.