Twice-yearly ivermectin for onchocerciasis: The time is now

摘要

We read with interest the Newsdesk by Talha Burki in which the success of elimination of river blindness in Colombia was portrayed as a challenge to African programmes. We were particularly struck by the statement by Mark Taylor (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK) in support of mass drug administration with ivermectin, donated by Merck & Co, twice yearly (every 6 months): "Two doses have been shown to be very successful in Colombia and elsewhere, the African programme has to move more rapidly to endorse this strategy."