Search
Search
Journalism from the heart of crises
  1. Home
  2. West Africa
  3. Nigeria

River Blindness Photo Essay

A young girl carries water from a river known to be infested with flies that cause river blindness. Ungwaku 1, Kajura District, in Kaduna State Nigeria Kate Holt/IRIN
A young girl carries water from a river known to be infested with flies that cause river blindness in Kaduna state, Nigeria
    KADUNA
    Some 27 million people in Nigeria need treatment for river blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, according to NGO Sight Savers. The disease is spread through the bite of a black simulium fly, which breeds in fast-flowing water. However, if at-risk people take the drug ivermectin, also known as Mectizan, annually for 15-17 years, the infection cycle is broken for life, according to the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control. NGOs Sightsavers and Helen Keller International have been working for years in northern Nigeria to try to eliminate the risks this disease poses to local inhabitants.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Get the day’s top headlines in your inbox every morning

    Starting at just $5 a month, you can become a member of The New Humanitarian and receive our premium newsletter, DAWNS Digest.

    DAWNS Digest has been the trusted essential morning read for global aid and foreign policy professionals for more than 10 years.

    Government, media, global governance organisations, NGOs, academics, and more subscribe to DAWNS to receive the day’s top global headlines of news and analysis in their inboxes every weekday morning.

    It’s the perfect way to start your day.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian today and you’ll automatically be subscribed to DAWNS Digest – free of charge.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join