Carter Center Global Health Efforts

Activities By Country

Fighting Disease: Ecuador

Eliminating Onchocerciasis from the Americas

River blindness is a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of small black flies that breed in rapidly flowing streams and rivers. The disease causes severe itching, eye damage, and often blindness but is preventable through health education and distribution of the medicine Mectizan®. Learn more about the Carter Center's campaign to eliminate river blindness from the Americas and to control it in Africa >

In Ecuador, a single endemic focus is located in the northern part of the Esmeraldas province among communities bordering the Cayapas, Santiago, and Onzole rivers. Since 1990, with support from The Carter Center, the Ministry of Health has been providing health education and treatment with Mectizan® (ivermectin, donated by Merck) to prevent river blindness.

In 2008, the Center's Onchocerciasis Elimination Program of the Americas (OEPA) determined river blindness transmission had been interrupted in the subfocus of Rio Santiago, within the Esmeraldas-Pichincha focus, and treatments were halted.

In 2010, after 23 rounds of treatment with coverage greater than 85 percent, the Ministry of Health announced Ecuador had stopped river blindness transmission, and the nation halted mass drug administration. Ultimately, elimination of the parasite must be certified by the World Health Organization, whose office in the Americas is the Pan American Health Organization.

With continued hard work and vigilance during the three-year post-treatment surveillance period, Ecuador is close to becoming among the first countries in the world to receive certification as having eliminated river blindness.

The Carter Center congratulates the people of Ecuador on this important achievement and encourages the rest of the Americas and the world to continue their hard work in preventing river blindness.

Watch the video: Raquel Lovato: Ending Onchocerciasis in Ecuador >

Read the blog: Long-Term Commitment To Eliminate River Blindness Brightens Future for Latin America >

Read the press release: Ecuador Becomes Second Country in the Americas To Halt River Blindness Transmission – Carter Center Hails Major Step Forward in Campaign To Rid Americas of Parasitic Infection by 2012; Urges Intensified Efforts in the Four Remaining Endemic Countries (English and En Español) >

Learn more about the Center's work fighting river blindness in Ecuador (in search result format) >

Local health workers teach their community about the debilitating disease by playing an educational game.
Carter Center Photo
Increasing awareness about river blindness is a vital part of the fight to eradicate the disease in the Americas. Local health workers teach their community about the debilitating disease by playing an educational game.

Clinics, such as the one pictured here, provide health education and distribute Mectizan® to prevent the onset of permanent blindness from onchocerciasis in even the most remote areas of Ecuador.
Carter Center Photo
Clinics, such as the one pictured here, provide health education and distribute Mectizan® to prevent the onset of permanent blindness from onchocerciasis in even the most remote areas of Ecuador.