Sudanese Region Declared Free of River Blindness
15 October, 2015KHARTOUM (SUDANOW) – The Federal Ministry for Health celebrated Thursday the declaration of Abu Hamad region, northern Sudan, free of river blindness.
River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, is spread by the bites of infected black flies that breed in rapidly flowing rivers.
Abu Hamad, River Nile State, is the northern most focus of river blindness in the world.
The celebration, organized at Corinthia Hotel, was attended by representatives of the international partners; the World Health Organization and Jimmy Carter Center in addition to the national partners, the Federal Minister for Health and his states’ counterparts.
The State Minister for Health, Dr. Sumaya Idris Akad said the Sudan has started efforts for elimination of river blindness since the 1980s, intensified these efforts since 2005 and reached zero cases for the last three years.
She said the Sudan is the first country, out of 31 river blindness-affected countries in Africa, to declare one of its regions free of this disease.
Akad explained that the elimination program would continue in Galabat region near the Sudanese-Ethiopian borders which is the second focus of the disease in the country.
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