Contact:
Nicole Brown
Lions Clubs International Foundation
630-468-6887
E-mail: Nicole.Brown@lionsclubs.org

For Immediate Release

Major Public Health Gains in River Blindness Control and Community Development

OAK BROOK, Illinois, USA, September 27, 2007—The Non Governmental Development Organisations group for Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) control at their regular meeting at the headquarters of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) noted the major gains made in fighting the disease. This has led not only to significant symptomatic relief for over 60 million people world wide, but also to progress in drug distribution systems and community development. Community ownership of these health programmes has inspired many other developments in some of the remotest parts of the world including in areas of conflict. This has been made possible by the unprecedented donation of Mectizan (ivermectin), as much as is needed for as long as is needed, by Merck & Co., Inc.

Within the APOC partnership over 62 million people were treated in Africa in 2006, by national programmes supported by NGDOs. These treatments are taking place even in countries in recent or ongoing conflict, such as Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Sudan.

In Latin America there has been such great progress that in some areas treatment is no longer required. Although 430,000 people are still under treatment in six Latin American countries, in a few years time the region will be free of the disease.

These remarkable developments have been made possible by strong community support and ownership developed by the APOC partners.

NGDOs have been active in developing innovative approaches to integrating onchocerciasis control with other health and development activities, and in the words of Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organisation “the campaign to eliminate river blindness began as the most vertical programme imaginable; helicopters dropping insecticides out of the sky. In its quest for sustainability, the programme now embraces the principles of primary health care.” This programme is now tackling other “Neglected Tropical Diseases” such as trachoma, intestinal worms, bilharzia and elephantiasis.

The NGDO group noted recent articles raising the question of potential resistance to Ivermectin. These are still open to interpretation and the group fully supports the Mectizan Expert Committee, APOC, and WHO Tropical Disease Research Department in their ongoing efforts to address the findings. However in the words of Dr Luis Sambo WHO Regional Director, in his address on 29 August 2007 to the Regional Committee for Africa there is still a need to “maintain high ivermectin treatment coverage.”

Thirty million people remain to be reached through the onchocerciasis control programme. In addition 500 million people in Africa suffer from one or more of the neglected tropical diseases and need increasing support to escape the vicious cycle of disease and poverty.

Lions Clubs International Foundation provides grant funding to Lions districts for large-scale humanitarian projects too extensive for Lions to finance on their own. LCIF is the charitable arm of Lions Clubs International, the largest service club organization in the world with 1.3 million members in 200 geographic areas and countries. The Foundation aids Lions in making a greater impact in their local communities, as well as around the world. LCIF was recently ranked the number one NGO in a Financial Times study. Through LCIF, Lions ease pain and suffering and bring healing and hope to people worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.lcif.org/.

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Members of the Group
Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF): www.lcif.org
Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM): www.cbmi.org
Helen Keller International (HKI): www.hki.org
Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA): www.interchurch.org
Light for the World(LW): www.light-for-the-world.org
Mectizan Donation Program (MDP): www.mectizan.org
Mission to Save the Helpless (MITOSATH): www.mitosath.org
Organisation pour la Prévention de la Cécité (OPC)
The Carter Center (CC): www.cartercenter.org
Sight Savers International (SSI): www.sightsavers.org
United Front Against Riverblindness (UFAR): http://riverblindness.org
US Fund for UNICEF: www.unicefusa.org
Charitable Society for Social Welfare (CSSW): www.csswyemen.org