Celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Mectizan donation all year with our series of new videos. First: The Problem…a tiny fly with a big bite.
There is a tiny black fly with a big bite. It lives near rivers in Africa, Latin America, and Yemen and can transmit the parasite Onchocerca volvulus. People who live and work near the river get infected after being bitten repeatedly. As the worms mature and breed in the body their offspring cause unbearable itching vision loss and blindness. Onchocerciasis (river blindness) is found in 34 countries and affects an estimated 225 million people. The Mectizan Donation Program and its partners have been working for 35 years to eliminate river blindness. We have the solution and won’t stop until transmission has been eliminated. Join us on the journey to Stamp Out Oncho.