Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas

Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico

The objective of the OEPA was twofold. First, to eliminate the transmission of river blindness diseases in the Americas by 2012 in accordance the goal set by PAHO. Second, after the transmission of the disease has been eliminated, the assistance of the Ministries of Health in endemic LDCs to complete the post treatment surveillance (PTS) phase so that it was able to obtain formal certification on the elimination of this disease in 2016. The program benefited 525,543 persons who have been at high risk of exposure to the diseases. They were scattered in 13 areas in affected countries. The implementing partner were MADRE, USA, a non profit NGO established in 1983 in New York as a fundraising and capacity building organization.