By Peter.
Nigeria has recorded a historic breakthrough in eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis) and Onchocerciasis (river blindness), with 47.1 million people no longer requiring preventive treatment, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, announced on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
The achievement was celebrated at the BLON project close-out ceremony in Abuja, an initiative that delivered the largest-ever assessments for these diseases across 13 states, funded by a $4.9 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Key Highlights of the BLON Project (2022–2025)
- Exceeded Targets: Conducted 148% of planned Lymphatic Filariasis assessments (46 Pre-TAS, 116 TAS 1 & 3 surveys) and 150% of Onchocerciasis assessments.
- Massive Impact: 31.1 million no longer need treatment for Lymphatic Filariasis; 16 million free from Onchocerciasis medication—surpassing the original 27 million target.
- Health System Strengthening: Upgraded four labs (UniOsun, TCC, NIMR, ABU) to ISO 15189 standards; trained 65 lab technicians, 300+ field workers; developed sample management policies and transport models.
Minister Salako’s Statement
“Nigeria has delivered beyond the targets… This is a significant milestone in our elimination roadmap. The project strengthened our health system and introduced replicable models for efficiency and sustainability.”
Sightsavers Nigeria Country Director Prof. Joy Shuaibu
“The remarkable achievement is that 31 million Nigerians will no longer need medication to prevent blindness. It cuts healthcare costs and empowers communities to live fulfilled lives.”
National Coordinator for NTDs, Fatai Oyediran
“We’ve built legacy SOPs, accredited labs, and trained health workers. We appeal to the Gates Foundation for extension to scale up further assessments.”
The BLON project—a partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Sightsavers, and NGOs like Helen Keller International, MITOSATH, and CBM—proved that coordinated, cost-effective assessments can accelerate disease elimination while strengthening health systems.
Nigeria now stands closer to achieving the WHO 2030 NTD road map goals—ending river blindness and elephantiasis as public health threats.
#NeglectedTropicalDiseases #LymphaticFilariasis #RiverBlindness #NigeriaHealthMilestone #BLONProject #GatesFoundation #NTDEliminationNigeria 🇳🇬
