Study suggests onchocerciasis can be eliminated with sustained distribution of treatment

"New research supported by Sightsavers and the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) shows that yes, onchocerciasis really can be eliminated when treatment is distributed in an area for a sustained period" and "found that the disease may already be eliminated in one Nigerian state, marking a significant milestone for onchocerciasis control programs," the Global Network for Neglected Diseases' "End the Neglect" blog writes (Alabaster, 3/6). "I think ... the lesson here [is that] results don't happen over night, but when the programs are given time to achieve them and the right systems are in place to monitor and measure them, great things can happen," Karen Grepin writes of the study in her "Global Health Blog" (3/6).