Country profiles
APOC’s mandate covers 19 African countries:
In three of these countries – Kenya, Mozambique and Rwanda – early mapping studies showed that onchocerciasis was present in a few areas, but at low, hypo-endemic levels. These three countries were therefore not considered priority areas for the APOC strategy of mass ivermectin treatment. Instead, they were encouraged to establish clinic-based treatment, so remained outside the operational scope of APOC.
In 2006, APOC’s mandate was expanded to include support to four countries previously under the scope of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa (OCP), where the disease is still present:
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Ghana
- Guinea Bissau
- Sierra Leone.
In these countries, APOC organizes meetings of the ex-OCP national coordinators, and organizes cross-border meetings in order to strengthen onchocerciasis surveillance systems.
