Benin: The End of River Blindness

Cotonou — Twenty years ago Benin was among the countries in West Africa most affected by endemic river blindness. Today the disease, which causes blindness and chronic skin irritation and is blamed for stunting economic growth of the populations it affects, has been almost completely eradicated.

"We have massively decreased the incidence of the epidemic," Laurent Assogba, a director at the Benin ministry of health said.

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