Geneva, Switzerland, 21 May 2026 (PAHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and The Carter Center signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement today to strengthen collaboration on the elimination of onchocerciasis — also known as river blindness — and other communicable diseases in the Americas.
The agreement was signed during the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly by PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa and The Carter Center Vice President for Health Programs, Dr. Kashef Ijaz.
The partnership will support coordinated efforts toward the elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in the Region by 2030, while also advancing cooperation on malaria and lymphatic filariasis elimination initiatives on the island of Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
“Disease elimination is one of the most powerful expressions of equity in public health because these diseases disproportionately affect populations living in conditions of vulnerability, including remote and historically underserved communities,” said Dr. Barbosa. “This agreement reinforces the importance of regional solidarity, technical cooperation, and strong partnerships to reach the populations that need these services most.”
Onchocerciasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by a parasitic worm transmitted by blackflies that can lead to skin and eye damage, including irreversible blindness. While there is no vaccine to prevent infection, treatment with the antiparasitic drug ivermectin (Mectizan®, donated by Merck & Co.) every six months for a period of 12-15 years can help halt its transmission.
Significant progress has been achieved across the Americas over recent decades through sustained community-based interventions, surveillance, and cross-border collaboration. Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico have already been verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as free of onchocerciasis transmission. Efforts are now centered on the remaining transmission focus — the Yanomami Focus Area — in the Amazon basin, where geographic isolation, population mobility, and limited access to health services continue to pose major challenges.
The Carter Center has played a leading role globally in disease eradication and elimination efforts, including programs targeting Guinea worm disease, river blindness, trachoma, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, and malaria.
In the Americas, technical and financial support — including medicine donations and the work of the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA), in collaboration with PAHO and national authorities — has been instrumental in advancing elimination efforts.
“The agreement signed today builds on a long history of disease elimination efforts between PAHO and The Carter Center. We share a common vision of an Americas free from River Blindness, Lymphatic Filariasis, and Malaria and we are a grateful for PAHO’s leadership and commitment,” added Dr. Ijaz.
The agreement formalizes and expands longstanding collaboration between PAHO and The Carter Center and aims to improve coordination at regional and country levels, strengthen technical cooperation, and support integrated health interventions in affected communities.
The elimination of onchocerciasis is part of PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative, which seeks to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030 through integrated approaches that strengthen health systems, surveillance, primary health care, and action on social and environmental determinants of health.
