African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC)

APOC Communities take charge of their own treatment in the community-directed treatment (CDTI) approach The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) was set up in 1995 to eliminate onchocerciasis as a disease of public health importance in Africa. Onchocerciasis – or ‘river blindness’ – is a major cause of blindness and skin disease in many African countries.

At the core of APOC’s strategy to eliminate the disease is CDTI – community-directed treatment with ivermectin. CDTI relies on active community participation to distribute ivermectin treatment to people who need it. This successful strategy is now being extended to include delivery of other health interventions, such as insecticide-treated nets for malaria.

PRESS AND MEDIA Strengthening integrated disease surveillance in West Africa [pdf 63kb] 29 September 2009/Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Minister urges engagement of communities in health service delivery [pdf 28kb] 9-11 June 2009/Abuja, Nigeria BRIEFING NOTE A tribute to Robert S. McNamara and his contribution to onchocerciasis control ONCHOCERCIASIS What is onchocerciasis? WHO REGIONAL COMMITTEE Onchocerciasis control in the WHO African Region: current situation and way forward. [pdf 219kb] August 2007

UPCOMING EVENTS 126th Committee of Sponsoring Agents (CSA) 12-15 October 2009 / Paris, France NOTF and Technical Advisors Meeting 26-31 October 2009/ Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Calendar of events 2009 ONCHONEWS Vol.1, No 1 - September 2009 [pdf 384kb] OnchoNews archive RELATED SITES Partners and other related sites Onchocerciasis and its control worldwide with Mectizan

Yaoundé declaration
African ministers of health renew their commitment to eliminate onchocerciasis.
Full text

Dr Uche V. Amazigo
Director, APOC
B.P. 549
Ouagadougou 01
Burkina Faso
Email: info_apoc@oncho. afro.who.int