Owo Council deploys drones to combat river blindness

The Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State has unveiled a drone initiative to tackle the spread of river blindness in Owo and Ose councils.

At the launch on Friday, Owo LG Chairman, Tope Omolayo, said the project aims to curb the endemic disease, which causes severe skin and eye infections leading to blindness.

The council partnered with King’s College African Leadership Centre to design autonomous drones equipped with Artificial Intelligence–driven spraying systems.

The technology will specifically target black flies, the carriers of the disease, by identifying and treating their breeding sites.

Omolayo noted that the initiative would also benefit the Ondo State School for the Visually Impaired in Owo and vulnerable residents of the affected communities.

He explained that the drones are capable of reaching difficult terrains, delivering insecticides with minimal environmental impact while ensuring community safety.

“These drones, developed with the support of Owo LG technicians, will allow us to identify breeding sites in inaccessible areas and deliver targeted spraying with precision,” Omolayo said.

The LG Project Director, Chief Ologan Olanrewaju, added that drones fitted with high-resolution cameras and thermal sensors would help map black fly hotspots and larval habitats.

He praised the council for adopting a globally recognized method of vector control.

“This approach provides a cost-effective, timely, and precise alternative for tackling river blindness, with more effective and tailored control strategies,” Olanrewaju said.

Also speaking, Mr. Babatunde Adetayo, a special educationist and public health officer, revealed that the council would present its findings and share expertise at Queen’s University in Canada during this year’s World Sight Day.

He commended the chairman’s foresight in addressing one of the root causes of blindness in the region.