Brazzaville, 12 December 2013 -- The 19th session of the Joint Action Forum (JAF), the top governing body of the Ouagadougou-based African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) got under way on Wednesday in Brazzaville, Congo.

Opening the meeting, the Minister of Health and Population of Congo, Mr, Francois Ibovi, expressed gratitude to the World Health Organization (WHO) and other development partners for their support to countries in the Region in their fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Mr. Ibovi stated that such support by WHO and other partners had made it possible for his country to develop a five year (2013-2017) national NTD action plan which would serve as an effective tool for NTD prevention and control.

Recalling that the 63rd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa adopted a resolution endorsing the Regional Strategy on Neglected Tropical Diseases, the Minister said eliminating  NTDs requires a multisectoral response and a firm commitment by endemic countries, donors and the pharmaceutical industry.

In his speech on the occasion, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, stated that onchocerciasis or river blindness remained an important public health problem in Africa because 120 million people in 31 countries were at risk of the disease.

Dr Luis Sambo’s speech was read by the Deputy Regional Director, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.

The Regional Director also spoke of progress made in tackling river blindness saying that in 2012 more than 99 million people received treatment in 24 countries leading to a reduction in the number of persons at risk. In addition, results of studies conducted in 2012 and 2013 showed remarkable progress in tacking the disease in Burundi, Central African Republic, Ghana, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, Tanzania and Mali.

He highlighted the progress that has also been made in the control and elimination of other NTDs such as trachoma, bilharzia and intestinal worms and particularly Guinea worm disease which has been reduced from 3.5 million in 20 countries in 1986 to only 21 by the end of 2012.

Dr Sambo commended the efforts of governments for establishing and strengthening integrated national NTD programmes and acknowledged the rapidly growing contribution by the pharmaceutical industry, NGOs, research community as well as the support of other stakeholders.

In his remarks, the Director of APOC, Dr Jean-Baptiste Roungou,  paid tribute to governments and partners for the support they provided APOC since its creation.

He informed the meeting that there was a $22.4 million deficit in the Programme’s budget of $50 million for the 2014-2016 biennium and appealed to partners for additional financial support to address the deficit.

APOC’s current mandate will end in 2015. Delegates will also deliberate on the requirements for the new entity which will be established to succeed APOC and pursue the goal of river blindness and elephantiasis elimination as well as support for the prevention and control of other NTDs.

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For more information, please contact: 

Dr. Adiele Onyeze, +47-241-39161 ; Email: onyezea [at] afro.who.int

Mr Samuel T. Ajibola  +47-241-39378;  E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int