HHI, MINSANTE Partnership set to beat River Blindness in Cameroon.
Scientists say they may have made a significant breakthrough combating onchocerciasis (‘river blindness’), but close to 20 million people still live with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC.
World Health Organisation (WHO) reported at least 20.9 million people were infected worldwide in 2017, and about 220 million people required some preventive chemotherapy against the disease.
The report also said more than 99% of infected people live in Africa, including Cameroon.
In the late 1980s, mass distribution of Ivermectin (mectizan) to households was adopted as a better way to control and prevent the disease. Researchers confirmed it is winning big.
Hope and Healing International (HHI), in partnership with the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services, is accompanying the Government of Cameroon this year (2022) to double efforts towards ending the neglected tropical disease through a more effective distribution of mectizan in the West Region of the country.
River blindness is caused by the filarial worm from infected blackflies that breed along rivers and streams. It is usually close to remote villages located near fertile land where people rely on agriculture.
“The West Region of Cameroon is a high-prevalence area due to many rivers flowing through its communities, and the transmission has been difficult to break,” said Dr. Nkuougnam Inoussa, Regional Coordinator for Neglected Tropical diseases at the Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTE).
“The prevalence rate in the country is about 30% but close to 50% in the West Region. Over 2.5 million people are exposed,” He said.
Mectizan distribution is done once every year in Cameroon for one month – often in August when most people get exposed to the filarial worm.
The West Region, with the capital city Bafoussam, has a population of over 2.5 million people, with about 130 communities spread across a 14,000 km2 surface area.
Dr. Innoussa says “It was difficult for distribution to reach all the communities in the past.
“But this year, we are targeting at least 80% of the population, making sure that we reach every household in the entire region,”
“We have added the number of distributors this year – from 1800 to 2400 distributors to ensure that we overcome the challenges. The goal is the same for the entire nation,” He added.
James Tamon, River Blindness Coordinator at CBC Health Services, in a press outing highlighted that “One of the biggest problems during distribution is refusal and absenteeism.
“Many people complain of sight effects. Others who mostly stayed in their farms often miss the distributors.
“But this year, we have strongly mobilized the media and other stakeholders to do massive and proper sensitization on the importance of mectizan”
“The sensitization will have to reach right up to their communities in their native languages,” He said.
In April 2022, HHI and CBC Health Services launched a free screening campaign against River Blindness in the region.
The campaign recorded a higher prevalence rate in the villages closer to River Mbam, affecting mostly old people, majority of whom are farmers.
Kasu 72, is one of those who were diagnosed with the parasite during the campaign. But she told us she hasn’t been taking mectizan for the past six years.
“My eyes and legs are always itching. But I did not know Mectizan could cure it,”
“I was scared the medicine could cause me more harm on my body since I have filaria,” She said.
However, early August 2022, Kazu was given 3 mectizan tablets and albendazole by the distribution team to treat her river blindness and filariasis.
Medics say Mectizan has proven most effective in treating river blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis because it kills the juvenile parasites (microfilariae) produced by the adult worm.
The new WHO triple therapy – recommending ivermectin accompanied with diethylcarbamazine (DEC), and albendazole is anticipated to treat over 100 million cases annually, with the global goal to eliminate onchocerciasis by 2025.
In July 2022, the Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTE), Cameroon signed an agreement with the Mectizan Donation Program (MDP) to strengthen their commitment to accelerate the elimination of river blindness in the country.
“The goal is to keep working with the WHO, and other partners to combat this disease by 2025,” said Dr. Chiamoun Daouda, Regional Delegate at MINSANTE, West Region of Cameroon.
“Onchocerciasis causes blindness. We encourage everyone to take mectizan, except children less than 5 years old, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers of less than 7 days, and people who are severely ill,” He noted.