(Monrovia, Liberia, November 26, 2025)—The Ministry of Health (MOH) has strengthened its national campaign to eliminate three major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including Onchocerciasis (River Blindness), Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis/Big Foot), and Schistosomiasis (worm infections), with the launch of the 2025 Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign across the country.
The MOH’s Neglected Tropical Diseases Program has begun administering Ivermectin tablets for the control and elimination of Onchocerciasis in the fifteen (15) political sub-division of the country.
Additionally, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Kru, Maryland, and Sinoe counties are distributing both Albendazole and Ivermectin to combat Lymphatic Filariasis.
Praziquantel distribution for the prevention and treatment of Schistosomiasis is also ongoing in Bong, Lofa, Maryland, and Nimba counties, targeting school-age children aged 5–14 and adults.
An estimated 4,155,731 people will be treated for River Blindness, 905,657 individuals for Lymphatic Filariasis, and 1,157,858 school-age children and adults with Praziquantel for Schistosomiasis.
Sightsavers is supporting the MDA for River Blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis, while Unlimit Health is supporting Schistosomiasis treatment efforts in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
On November 7, 2025, the Ministry of Health, along with national, county, and international partners, launched the 2025 MDA round in Kakata, Margibi County. The event brought together senior government officials, county health teams, civil society organizations, community leaders, students, school administrators, and development partners.
Delivering the keynote address, Margibi County Health Administrator Mrs. Vivian Sumo emphasized the need for sustained community participation and reaffirmed the government’s determination to achieve its NTD elimination targets. Mrs. Assatu Jallah-Bah represented the Office of the Assistant Minister for Curative Services at the ceremony.
Following the launch, community health volunteers and drug distributors began house-to-house distribution of Mectizan and Albendazole in Kakata. The exercise was reinforced with a robust social mobilization campaign, featuring radio talk shows, town-hall meetings, school-based awareness sessions, and a vibrant parade through the principal streets of Kakata, where flyers were distributed to residents and travelers.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to protecting vulnerable populations, expanding community health services, and ensuring Liberia meets its goal of eliminating NTDs as a public health threat by 2030.