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Fighting disease

African states honoured for beating neglected tropical diseases

Benin and Ghana, two of the countries where Sightsavers works, have been recognised for their success in wiping out several diseases that are prevalent in poor and marginalised communities.

July 2023
A lab scientist in Nigeria examines samples under a microscope.

How our research could help more than 50 million women

Sightsavers researchers are working to understand how we can care for women with female genital schistosomiasis, a devastating disease that affects millions of women in Africa.

Omosefe Osinoiki, June 2023
An eye health worker checks a man's eyes for signs of trachoma.

How Mali overcame three big challenges and eliminated trachoma

Sightsavers’ Boubacar Morou Dicko shares the obstacles Mali faced on the road to eliminating trachoma, and how the country was able to overcome them.

A man smiles at the camera.

Benin and Mali become the latest countries to eliminate trachoma

Both countries’ achievements have been validated by the World Health Organization, meaning they join a growing list of countries to have banished the disease.

May 2023
A school student in a classroom is handed a tablet by a health worker, as other health workers and his classmates look on.

Sightsavers’ deworming work gets $16.9 million funding boost

Sightsavers has been awarded $16.9 million to continue and expand its deworming work, after a funding recommendation from US charity evaluator GiveWell.

May 2023
Sightsavers CEO CAroline Harper during her TED Talk, standing in front of large red letters spelling TED.

My TED talk helped to protect millions of people from trachoma. Now you can help make history

In 2018, Sightsavers CEO Caroline Harper took to the TED stage to talk about the importance of eliminating trachoma. Since then, 14 million people have been protected from the disease, but further progress hangs in the balance.

Caroline Harper, April 2023
A young boy drinks water after receiving preventative medication for lymphatic filariasis in Guinea-Bissau.

Sightsavers awarded grant to fight neglected tropical diseases in Guinea-Bissau

The Astellas Global Health Foundation is giving US$536,700 to help combat river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis and intestinal worms.

December 2022
Epidemiologist Michael Dejene, who is collecting data on trachoma, crouches next to a woman who is sorting produce.

“We’re playing a critical role to banish trachoma”

Since 2012, Sightsavers has been using smartphones to collect high-quality data, so that countries can effectively map the disease and focus their elimination efforts.

December 2022
Simon Bush.

Sightsavers director rewarded for his work on neglected tropical diseases

Sightsavers’ Simon Bush has received a lifetime achievement award for his work on river blindness, and has been named president of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

October 2022
Ophthalmic nurse Suraju helps a young girl wash her hands using water from a teapot.

Sightsavers and RSTMH host learning event on major tropical disease programme

Sightsavers and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene are hosting an event with experts from the Ascend West and Central Africa programme to share key learnings.

September 2022