Evaluation of river blindness and LF treatment and prevention programme

The Issue

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than one billion of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Two of these, river blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis (LF), can be prevented and treated simultaneously, and have been therefore targeted for global elimination. DFID engaged Sightsavers for a three-year project to improve implementation of drug administration and other prevention and treatment programmes in four countries in order to contribute to the elimination of the diseases in these countries.

Tropical Health was commissioned to evaluate achievements and performance at the end of the programme, measure progress against national/sub-national elimination targets, identify drivers of success as well as challenges, and capture learnings that can inform future programmes.

Our Approach

The Tropical Health team used quantitative and qualitative methods, analysing programme management data as well as data gathered from semi-structured interviews with programme personnel and partners at global, national, district and community levels. Interviews and focus group discussions were held during field visits in Nigeria and Guinea Bissau, and findings were reviewed and validated in debrief sessions with programme management teams.

Tropical Health delivered an evaluation report and a separate lessons learned paper citing 10 key learnings that can inform future programming.  Target audiences for the evaluation report included donors, partners, in-country stakeholders, and Sightsavers programme staff.

Our Findings

The Tropical Health team found that the programme made significant progress in its goal to contribute to the elimination of onchocerciasis and LF by enabling the expansion of mass drug administration to populations previously unreached. The project met or exceeded most outcome milestones. It not only increased coverage but increased awareness of the diseases and their prevention and boosted the capacity of Ministry of Health through training of community workers, for example. Incorporating LF patient care not only provided life-changing services to beneficiaries, but also contributed to expanding access in terms of gender and disability and decreasing stigmatisation.