Togo

Blindness in Togo

Togo is one of the smallest countries on the African continent. Located in West Africa, the country has a total population of approximately 9.93 million people. Togo has effectively neutralized the risk of river blindness (onchocerciasis). Under the World Health Organization (WHO) 2030 Neglected Tropical Disease goals, transmission rates have plummeted country-wide due to mass ivermectin distributions and vector control programs.

According to IAPB Vision Atlas, an estimated 808,000 people in Togo are currently living with some form of visual impairment, and 90% of all vision loss in Togo is completely preventable or treatable. While Togo has made historic progress against river blindness, general ocular health remains a major priority. Many Togolese people continue to suffer from other leading causes of preventable vision loss, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal opacities.