Half a century of onchocerciasis control in West Africa

Closure of the onchocerciasis control programme in West Africa
OCP 1974-2002

Pierre-André Wiltzer Minister for Cooperation
and the French-Speaking World, 6 December 2002.

As the onchocerciasis control programme (OCP) in West Africa comes to a close, we can now celebrate half a century of combat against onchocerciasis, or river blindness. It was in Burkina Faso, at Bobo Dioulasso, a recognised centre for African medical research, that was founded in 1956 the first onchocerciasis section of what was then ORSTOM, now IRD, the French overseas development research institute. The men of “Oncho” were the pioneers in this programme, together with the French military doctors who at independence of French-speaking countries joined the OCCGE (Organisation de Coordination et de Coopération pour la lutte contre les Grandes Endémies) founded by Médecin général inspecteur Pierre Richet. They threw themselves into the research and studied the causes of this “end of the road disease”, this scourge that drove villagers out of the fertile valleys, infested by blackflies that struck them blind.

The pioneers “invented” a strategy and methods for disease control, continually evaluated and adapted by scientific criteria, that could break the vicious circle of illness and poverty. They persuaded the international community to undertake a programme covering an area as large as the first six countries of a uniting Europe.

Of the many who did this work, one may cite Pierre Richet, Max Ovazza, René Le Berre, and Jacques Hamon. Thanks to them all was founded the prestigious French school of medical entomology at the IRD, now a reference in vector control. Thanks also to them, Bobo Dioulasso and then Bouaké have become the training grounds for generations of researchers and senior African entomologists in OCP.

We may now salute and honour these forerunners, the visionary first pioneers and their followers: they invented the spirit of sustainable development before the word was used. For it is indeed the long haul, perseverance, belief in success and trust in people that make possible social and economic development.

Thanks to them, and with them and the international community, the OCP programme was launched. This success is the work too of all OCP teams and their national and international support. I take this opportunity of citing the Programme directors who deserve our gratitude: Pierre Ziegler, Marc Bazin, Ebrahim M. Samba, K. Yankum Dadzie and Boakye A. Boatin. The international agencies, too, and primarily the World Health Organisation and the World Bank, are entitled to be proud of their sponsorship. The results of this human chain are there to see. OCP has protected an estimated 34 million people from the disease, thereby avoiding 600,000 cases of blindness in the 11 countries in the programme. Vector control has made it possible for people to move back into 25 million hectares in the river catchments. This land can now feed a further 17 million people.

The full heritage of OCP has yet to be measured. These 28 years of successful onchocerciasis control are also a fine example of “best practice”: links between scientific research and implementation, a regional approach by 11 countries, “bi-multilateral” cooperation involving the WHO and other donors in a French and African initiative, and not least, sustainable development. France is proud to have been an active partner in OCP from the outset. I trust that the achievements of OCP will be maintained and put to good use by African States. France intends to support them in this task.