SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ONCHOCERCIASIS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO FEMALES AND CHILDREN: A REVIEW

摘要: The socio-economic impact of onchocerciasis (river blindness) on humans is reviewed with special reference to females and children. results many studies reveal that usually a serious threat public health an impediment development in areas high intensity endemicity the disease. In such places, blindness visual impairment are common, mortality among blind may be four times as non-blind persons same age community. As result debilitation blindness, infected person unable maintain for long any type productive activity. Inhabitants fertile river valleys move less upland country. Many young men migrate urban areas, reducing productivity community disrupting family life. Employees classified having severe Onchocercal Skin Disease (OSD) earned 15 % daily wages than those not infected. People stigmatized their communities. OSD limits range social involvement can affect sexual life affected individuals. With women children, suffer stigmatization more men. This affects marriage kind partners they marry, limiting them already married men, divorced elderly childless etc. Severe itching often accompanies reduce period lactating mothers breastfeed babies. Children, particularly females, from households headed by individuals onchocerciasis, especially at risk being school dropouts. Academic performance children adversely affected. To these effects, there need intense enlightenment augment efforts World Health Organization (WHO) combating disease using mass treatment ivermectin (Mectizan).