Nigeria Makes Strides in Fight Against Elephantiasis, River Blindness

Nigeria has made significant strides in the fight against neglected tropical diseases, with 47.1 million people no longer requiring treatment for Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis) and Onchocerciasis (river blindness). This milestone was announced by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, at the close-out ceremony of the BLON project in Abuja.

The project, which was launched to address gaps in Nigeria’s elimination roadmap for these diseases, has exceeded its targets, with 31.1 million people no longer needing treatment for Lymphatic Filariasis and 16 million people no longer requiring treatment for Onchocerciasis. The project had initially targeted 27 million people.

According to Dr. Salako, the project conducted 46 Emergency Medical Services (Pre-TAS), 116 TAS 1 and 3 epidemiological surveys, and one breeding site assessment, achieving 148% of LF assessments and 150% of Onchocerciasis assessments.

The BLON project, which received $4.9 million in funding from the Gates Foundation, was implemented by Sightsavers in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and other non-governmental organizations. The project aimed to generate evidence to support the cessation of mass drug administration, strengthen health systems, and introduce replicable models to enhance efficiency and sustainability.

Dr. Salako highlighted the project’s achievements, including the strengthening of four laboratories through capacity building and facility upgrades, training of 65 laboratory technicians, and training of over 300 people as card readers, data recorders, and field sample collectors.

The Country Director for Sightsavers Nigeria, Prof. Joy Shuaibu, noted that the project’s impact goes beyond cost savings in healthcare, saying it has brought hope to millions of Nigerians affected by these diseases.

The project, which began in 2022 and concluded in September 2025, was initially designed as a 17-month intervention but was extended at no additional cost to ensure lasting impact.