Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization: Press Release: 29 July 2013
PAHO/WHO verifies elimination of the disease, congratulates Colombia for its achievement
Colombia has been verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated onchocerciasis (known as “river blindness”), thus becoming the first country in the world to achieve this goal.
In an official notification letter, WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan, congratulated the Government of Colombia and urged it to “maintain vigilance to detect any future outbreaks” of the disease, which continues to circulate in other countries of Latin America.
Colombia achieved elimination of onchocerciasis following 16 years of concerted efforts led by Colombia’s National Institute of Health with support from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Secretariat of Health of the Department of Cauca, academic and research institutions, OEPA, and PAHO/WHO.
Onchocerciasis is the second-leading infectious cause of blindness globally and also produces skin rashes and lesions. It is caused by the parasite Onchocerca volvulus and is transmitted to humans through the bite of the Simulium species of black flies, which are common in river areas.
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