Infectious Diseases of Poverty (Jul 2019)

The positive influence the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas has had on Africa programs

  • Frank O. Richards,
  • B. E. B. Nwoke,
  • Isam Zarroug,
  • Edridah Tukahebwa,
  • Nebiyu Negussu,
  • T. B. Higazi,
  • David Oguttu,
  • Zerihun Tadesse,
  • Emmanuel Miri,
  • Nabil Aziz,
  • Peace Habomugisha,
  • Moses Katabarwa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-019-0558-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 4

Abstract

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Abstract A recent article “Is onchocerciasis elimination in Africa feasible by 2025: a perspective based on lessons learnt from the African control programmes” in Infectious Diseases of Poverty claimed that undue influence on African programs by concepts developed by the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program of the Americas (OEPA) is detrimental to stopping mass drug administration (MDA) in Africa. This claim is made despite a record year for MDA stoppage in four African countries of > 3.5 million treatments in 2018, far exceeding any past OEPA or African Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) stop MDA success.

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