HISTONCHO: a database of intervention histories for onchocerciasis control and elimination in sub-Saharan Africa

Summary

In sub-Saharan Africa, onchocerciasis control has been implemented for many decades, beginning in 1974 under the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa (OCP) and in 1995 in Central and East Africa (plus Liberia) under the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC).

This paper presents HISTONCHO, a dataset collating detailed information on interventions, including vector control, from 1975 through to 2022. The authors discuss the strengths and limitations associated with the database, and how HISTONCHO can be improved to support modelling of intervention strategies as well as onchocerciasis control and elimination efforts by endemic country programmes.