African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC)

APOC Communities take charge of their own treatment in the community-directed treatment (CDTI) approach The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) was set up in 1995 to eliminate onchocerciasis as a disease of public health importance in Africa. Onchocerciasis – or ‘river blindness’ – is a major cause of blindness and skin disease in many African countries.

At the core of APOC’s strategy to eliminate the disease is CDTI – community-directed treatment with ivermectin. CDTI relies on active community participation to distribute ivermectin treatment to people who need it. This successful strategy is now being extended to include delivery of other health interventions, such as insecticide-treated nets for malaria.

PRESS AND MEDIA Addis first follow-up meeting on Integration and NTDs/Malaria Co-implementation final communique [pdf 30kb] National Taskforces strategize on river blindness control in Africa [pdf 46kb] 3 July 2008 ONCHOCERCIASIS What is onchocerciasis? WHO REGIONAL COMMITTEE Onchocerciasis control in the WHO African Region: current situation and way forward. [pdf 219kb] August 2007

UPCOMING EVENTS 58th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa 1–5 September 2008 Cameroon More information 30 year anniversary of Alma-Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care 11–12 September 2008 London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Calendar of events 2008 RELATED SITES Partners and other related sites

Yaoundé declaration
African ministers of health renew their commitment to eliminate onchocerciasis.
Full text

Dr Uche V. Amazigo
Director, APOC
B.P. 549
Ouagadougou 01
Burkina Faso
Email: info_apoc@oncho. afro.who.int