African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC)

Nigeria

Onchocerciasis status

Onchocerciasis is a country-wide public health problem in Nigeria.

Rapid epidemiological mapping of onchocerciasis in Nigeria, showing areas (in red) where community-directed treatment with ivermectin is needed

This map is an approximation of actual country borders.

People affected by onchocerciasis

  • Number of communities in meso/hyper endemic (red) areas (2006): 35 014
  • Total population in meso/hyper endemic (red) areas (2006): 28 201 218

Projects

  • Number of current community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) projects (2007): 27
  • Date first community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) project was launched: 1997
  • Number of national onchocerciasis task force (NOTF)-secretariat supported projects (2007): 1
  • Number of vector elimination projects: 0

NOTF-secretariat supported project is based at national level and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of all CDTI projects in the country and ensuring the availability of ivermectin.

Ivermectin coverage

Geographical coverage (2007)
  • Number of communities treated with ivermectin: 33 924
  • Treatment target (number of communities): 35 339
  • Geographic coverage (2006): 96%
Therapeutic coverage (2007)
  • Number of people treated with ivermectin: 23 464 448
  • Treatment target (number of people): 29 509 353
  • Therapeutic coverage: 79.5%

Training

  • Number of trained or retrained community-directed distributors, CDDs (2007): 91 278
  • Number of people per community-directed distributor, CDD (2007): 323
  • Number of trained or retrained health workers (2007): 22 982

Funds

Projects are funded from three primary sources:

  • the APOC Trust Fund
  • the government of the country where the projects are being implemented
  • funds from non-governmental development organization partners.

Co-implementation of CDTI and other health interventions

In addition to delivering ivermectin, community-directed distributors (CDDs) are being trained to deliver other health care interventions to their community.

Number of CDTI projects with distributors delivering other health interventions (2007):

  • Malaria
  • Bednet
  • Lymphatic flariasis
  • Vitamine A
  • Schitosomiasis
  • Guinea Worm
  • Primary Eye Care
  • Trachoma
  • Dewormining (mebandazol)

Source: NOTF/Nigeria

Partners

International non-governmental development organization (NGDO) partners (2007):

  • Sight Savers International
  • Christoffel-Blindmission (CBM)
  • Mission to Save the Helpless (MITOSATH)
  • Helen Keller International (HKI)
  • US Fund for UNICEF
  • Global 2000 River Blindness Program (GRBP)
  • International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH)/UNIVA

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