WHO report: 180.3 million people treated for onchocerciasis in 2025, the highest number in a single year

9 October 2026

WHO's Weekly Epidemiological Record published 'Elimination of human onchocerciasis: progress report, 2025–2026' on 9 October 2026. In 2025, 255.7 million people required preventive chemotherapy and 180.3 million were treated, a global coverage of 70.5%. This is described as the highest number of people ever treated for onchocerciasis in a single year. Ivermectin mass drug administration has stopped in 310 implementation units. About 38 million people no longer need preventive chemotherapy, mostly in Nigeria (28.0 million), Uganda, Ethiopia and Mali. Angola, Gabon and Sudan did not implement mass drug administration in 2025.