Editorial - River Blindness - Mike Goldwater & Blue Cube Productions

A woman on her way to wash clothes in a nearby river at Bodadiougou village, Cascades Region, Burkina Faso.

Dr Simon Kam, chief medical officer for the district explains to Godima Siri, a farmer and head of his household, why it's important that everyone takes Ivermectin to prevent River Blindness. Godima Siri, like many in the village of his generation, is illiterate but Dr Kam uses the pictures in his leaflet to get his points across.

Mariam Sagnon, Community Drug Distributors, distribute Ivermectin to a household in Karfiguela village. The coloured measuring stick indicates how many pills each person should have for their annual dose - from one for a small child and up to four for an adult

Yacouba Siri, volunteer blackfly catcher at the fast-flowing Comoe river where blackfly that carry the Onchosirciasis parasite like to breed.

Diane Karama, community drug distributor, preparing a dose of Ivermectin.

Kadijatou Siri takes her dose of Ivermectin

Somalia Siri's height being measured to determine his dose.

Yacouba Siri, volunteer blackfly catcher at Comoe river with blackfly he has just caught. The captured flies are used for further research.

Chief nurse Appolinaire Dabire explains the importance of the Ivermectin programme to Sina Tou, head of a household (right) and Clena Tou, also a household head in Karfiguela village.

Yacouba Siri, volunteer blackfly catcher, picks leaves floating in the the fast-flowing Comoe river where blackfly larvae are growing.

Lioutou Kone and Mariam Sagnon, community drug distributors, on their way between households in Karfiguela village.

Sanata Kone, a beneficiary of the programme with her mother, Kaflafi peeling Da fruits to make a spicy sauce.

A woman returning to her compound in Bodadiougou village.

Measuring a small child in Diarabakoko village. She is too small yet to take her first dose of Ivermectin.

Dan Paul Karama, community leader, Diarabakoko village.

Diane Karama, community drug distributor, in her kitchen at home.

Lioutou Kone, and Mariam Sagnon, community drug distributors check if a villager has already taken his dose.

Sanata Kone in her field where she is growing aubergines. Without the programme to prevent River Blindness, this area would remain uncultivated.

River blindness, or onchocerciasis, is a parasitic infection that can cause severe skin irritation, itching and, over time, irreversible blindness. It’s spread by the bite of infected black flies that breed near fast-flowing rivers and is major health problem in Burkina Faso.

To combat River Blindness, Sightsavers is carrying out mass drug administration programmes in the Cascades region, in the country’s south west, distributing medication to treat and prevent the disease.