Objectives Onchocerciasis is one of the most devastating neglected tropical diseases and it is mostly prevalent in Africa. The disease has important heavy social and economic burdens on the infected populations including low productivity, unemployment, social isolation, and stigma. A cross-sectional study was implemented using a well-established questionnaire to investigate the socio-economic impacts of Onchocerciasis elimination in Abu-Hamed, River Nile State, Sudan in 2015; 512 participants in ten affected communities were interviewed. Results Our findings revealed that these communities are recovering from the social and economic burden of the diseases. Ninety percent of the research participants reported general satisfaction about elimination of the disease in their community, 48.3% of them attended secondary school or university. Only 0.6% reported unemployment. Also, 25.3% and 24.7% of the participants were workers and farmers respectively. Except about the vector biting and nuisance, the majority of the respondents (90%) had no complain related to the disease after the elimination. Also, 90.5% of the participants reported either stable or increase in their work performance during the last 12 months. About 93.8% of the respondents were engaged in normal daily life activities and involved in happy events like marriage and giving birth during the last 12 months.

20 Introduction: Onchocerciasis is one of the most devastating Neglected Tropical Diseases 21 (NTDs) and it is mostly prevalent in Africa. The disease has important heavy social and 22 economic burdens on the infected populations including low productivity, unemployment, 23 social isolation, and stigma.24 Methodology/Principal Findings: The socio-economic impacts of the Onchocerciasis 25 elimination in Abu-Hamed, River Nile State, Sudan; were investigated using a well-26 established questionnaire, 512 participants in ten affected communities were interviewed. Our 27 findings revealed that these communities are recovering from the social and economic burden 28 of the diseases, with 90% of the research participants reported general satisfaction about the 29 elimination of the disease in their community, and about 48.3% of them attended secondary 30 school or university. Only 0.6% reported unemployment, and 25.3% and 24.7% of the 31 participants were workers and farmers respectively. Except about the vector biting and 32 nuisance, the majority of the respondents (90%) had no complain after the elimination of the 33 disease in the area. Also, 90.5% of the participants reported either stable or increase in their 34 work performance during the last twelve months. About 93.8% of the respondents were 35 engaged in normal daily activities and involved in happy events like marriage and giving birth 36 during the last twelve months.37 Conclusions/Significance: Overall, we conclude that the elimination of Onchocerciasis in 38 Abu-Hamed has several positive impacts on the economy and social life of Abu-Hamed local 39 communities, but this could be maximized by controlling the vector, which is still having a 40 negative impact on the populations. Establishing local developmental projects will help these 41 communities greatly to recover and become more productive.

Background: Onchocerciasis is one of the most devastating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and it is mostly prevalent in Africa. The disease has important heavy social and economic burdens on the infected populations including low productivity, unemployment, social isolation, and stigma. Abu-Hamed focus is the first WHO certified elimination of Onchocerciasis in Africa.Methods: This a cross-sectional study used a well-established questionnaire to investigate the socio-economic impacts of the Onchocerciasis elimination in Abu-Hamed, River Nile State, Sudan in 2015; 512 participants in ten affected communities were interviewed.Results: Our findings revealed that these communities are recovering from the social and economic burden of the diseases, with 90% of the research participants reported general satisfaction about the elimination of the disease in their community, and about 48.3% of them attended secondary school or university. Only 0.6% reported unemployment, and 25.3% and 24.7% of the participants were workers and farmers respectively. Except about the vector biting and nuisance, the majority of the respondents (90%) had no complain after the elimination of the disease in the area. Also, 90.5% of the participants reported either stable or increase in their work performance during the last twelve months. About 93.8% of the respondents were engaged in normal daily activities and involved in happy events like marriage and giving birth during the last twelve months.Conclusions: Overall, we conclude that the elimination of Onchocerciasis in Abu-Hamed has several positive impacts on the economy and social life of Abu-Hamed local communities, but this could be maximized by controlling the vector, which is still having a negative impact on the populations. Establishing local developmental projects will help these communities greatly to recover and become more productive.

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