Reaching the Criteria to Stop Onchocerciasis Mass Drug Administration: Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Uganda Pave the Way

USAID’s Act to End NTDs

By 
Upendo Mwingira, 
Alyssa Jordan, 
Moses Katabarwa, 
and Frank Richards

This brief describes how Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Uganda addressed these steps, providing examples for other country programs working to stop OV MDA. To eliminate human onchocerciasis transmission of the filarial parasite Onchocerca volvulus (OV), endemic countries undertake a multi-step process. One of the most challenging steps for endemic countries is breaking the cycle of transmission to the point where MDA can be stopped. This special publication and accompanying toolbox were launch during an expert virtual event (PDF) on June 24, 2021.