Documentary short highlights tireless efforts of frontline health workers to end transmission of river blindness in Senegal
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL MAY 16th 12:00 P.M.
(New York, NY) – The END Fund, a private philanthropic initiative dedicated to ending the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases, together with Reaching the Last Mile, a portfolio of global health programs driven by the philanthropy of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced today the premiere of The Fly Collectors at the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF).
Directed by Jeff Arak, and supported by Reaching the Last Mile, the short documentary film highlights the history of river blindness control and elimination in West Africa and the dedication required to eliminate transmission of the disease — with a particular focus on a group of men in Senegal who volunteer to complete the painstakingly difficult job of catching disease-transmitting flies by hand. By collecting these samples, the fly collectors monitor the current state of river blindness transmission in their communities and serve as a critical force propelling Senegal closer to the milestone of eliminating transmission within its borders.
The film will premiere as part of the NYAFF’s shorts program “Beyond Time, Beyond Space” at Maysles Documentary Center in New York City on Sunday, May 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
“When I first began my career more than forty years ago, elimination of river blindness was not considered possible. Now, Senegal is at the precipice of recognizing the end of transmission of the disease within its borders — a monumental achievement,” said Dr. Daniel Boayke, Senior Technical Advisor, Programs, the END Fund. “The tireless work and dedication of community members shown in The Fly Collectors shows that success is achieved when we all unite under a shared goal.”
River blindness, also called onchocerciasis, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that is the fourth leading cause of preventable blindness globally. NTDs are a group of treatable, preventable parasitic and bacterial infectious diseases that needlessly hold back the lives and livelihoods of more than 1.6 billion people.
River blindness infection causes severe skin disease, visual impairment, and, in its most advanced form, irreversible blindness. Globally, over 200 million people across 31 countries still require annual treatment for river blindness. Those living with the disease experience disrupted education and livelihoods, which affects their families and communities. Prior to the rollout of control and elimination programs, the risk of blindness due to the disease in West Africa affected up to 50 percent of adults. Entire communities abandoned their fertile river valleys to avoid the primary areas of transmission, increasing famine in affected regions.
Housed within the END Fund, the Reaching the Last Mile Fund works closely with donors, the World Health Organization, and governments of affected countries to strengthen existing river blindness elimination programming, working collaboratively with ministries of health to support tailored elimination strategies. Support from the Reaching the Last Mile Fund enabled Senegal to collect and process more than 163,000 flies. The processing of these samples confirmed that the country will no longer require treatment in areas where river blindness was previously endemic.
“Senegal’s leadership and perseverance in the journey towards river blindness elimination has been inspirational,” said Nassar Al Mubarak, CEO, Reaching the Last Mile. “As captured in The Fly Collectors, Senegal’s story reminds us of what can be achieved when we unite and act to combat these neglected diseases, and the transformative effect for communities. Reaching the Last Mile is proud to be a partner to the global movement to end NTDs and excited to serve and support countries across Africa in reaching the finish line.”
“Through visual storytelling and art, The Fly Collectors brings forth the lived experiences of these preventable diseases and shows us that success will only be achieved when we all work together and follow the lead of local communities,” said Diana Benton Schechter, COO, the END Fund. “The END Fund is proud to partner with communities around the world to target resources where they are most needed.”
Throughout the film, legendary Senegalese singer Baaba Maal provides a lyrical celebration of the significant progress made in the country and a call to see elimination efforts to completion.
The film leaves audiences with a clear message: The contributions of local volunteers like the fly collectors help protect their communities and enable future generations to grow up without the threat of river blindness. However, the fly collectors’ work is not done. Their ongoing surveillance ensures that if signs of the parasite return, Senegal is ready to respond and protect its gains against the disease.
For information on tickets and future screenings please visit: https://end.org/fly-collectors.
About Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are caused by parasites (helminths, protozoa, ectoparasites), bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins. These diseases and conditions can cause effects such as deformed legs and blindness and can contribute to childhood malnourishment, cognitive impairment, stunted growth, and the inability to attend school. Social isolation and physical ailments make it difficult for people with NTDs to work, creating a cycle of poverty. Over 40 percent of the world’s NTD burden is concentrated in Africa, where the END Fund focuses the majority of its work.
About the END Fund
The END Fund is a private philanthropic initiative dedicated to ending the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The fund efficiently puts private capital to work, advocating for NTD programs that are innovative, integrated, and cost-effective. It facilitates strong partnerships with the private sector, government partners, and local implementing partners to collaboratively support national disease programs. This is done through a proven implementation model that is tailored to meet the needs of individual countries, with the view to fostering healthier communities, protected from the risks of NTDs. Since its founding in 2012, along with partners, the END Fund has distributed over one billion treatments across thirty-one countries, performed over 43,000 blindness and disability-preventing surgeries, and trained nearly 3.5 million health workers to preempt and treat NTDs. Learn more at www.end.org.
About Reaching the Last Mile
Reaching the Last Mile is a portfolio of global health programs, investments, and initiatives driven by the philanthropy of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. Through innovative and collaborative investments, Reaching the Last Mile focuses on advancing health equity, on ending preventable diseases that disproportionately affect impoverished communities, and on building resilient and inclusive health systems that meet the needs of the communities they serve.
Reaching the Last Mile’s mission represents His Highness’s dedication to solving health challenges that affect the world’s most vulnerable, and to helping millions of children and adults live healthy, dignified lives. Learn more at www.reachingthelastmile.com.
Media Contact
Victoria Miguda
The END Fund
+254 721 990789