Our work in Burkina Faso
We are working to eliminate trachoma and river blindness in the country. In 2019 we helped to distribute more than 111,000 treatments and trained more than 1,500 volunteers to give out the medication.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) such as trachoma and river blindness are a major health problem in Burkina Faso.
It’s estimated that 12.4 million people are at risk of contracting one or more NTDs.
We carry out mass drug administration in Burkina Faso, distributing medication to treat and prevent communities from three NTDs.
Thanks to the Accelerate programme we are helping to provide treatment for trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness. And under the UK aid flagship NTD programme, Ascend West and Central Africa, as a consortium, Sightsavers along with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Mott Macdonald, and the SCI Foundation, is supporting ministries to protect communities in Burkina Faso from lymphatic filariasis and river blindness.
In 2019, Sightsavers distributed more than 111,000 treatments across the country and trained 1,500 community volunteers, enabling them to gather data and give out medication to protect against these diseases.
At a glance
Total populationWhat we focus on
Key programmes
How we’re making a difference
Mariam works as a volunteer in Karfiguela village in Burkina Faso, distributing medication to protect against river blindness. “What really makes me happy is helping to prevent people from catching the disease,” she explains.
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