Government says it remains committed to eliminating trachoma eye disease in Zambia.
Ministry of Health’s Trachoma Elimination Programme Principal Investigator, Consity Mwale disclosed that out of the 56 districts that had trachoma in the country, seven districts in Western Province are still battling with the disease, saying the ministry is keen to ensure that the disease is eliminated in these districts, for it not to be a public health issue in the country.
Dr Mwale was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Kaoma District Commissioner, Kashina Sheba, stating that the ministry is conducting a training for health workers in readiness of the exercise.
“For this particular exercise we were here in 2023 now we are back, it is due for us to conduct a similar exercise. This is based on the agenda for the Ministry of Health to eliminate trachoma in Zambia.
“Trachoma is a blinding eye disease and we are lucky that we have partners like Sightsavers and the University of Zambia who are working with the Ministry of Health to ensure that the disease is eliminated, to ensure that our people in Kaoma do not continue to get blind as a result of this eye disease that can be prevented”, Dr Mwale stated.
He mentioned that the ministry has conducted various interventions that include going into the communities identifying the people who are suffering from trachoma, treating them as well as providing surgeries in selected health centres around Kaoma.
Dr Mwale stated that the ministry has also worked hand in hand with local authorities to provide proper water sanitation in communities in the elimination of trachoma.
He added that the government through the ministry provided nine rounds of mass drug administration by treating communities against the disease.
“We have also been working with other stakeholders that work in water and sanitation like the local authority to ensure that through partners there’s improvement in water and sanitation that is one way that helps us to eliminate trachoma.
We have also been able to provide nine rounds of what we call mass drug administration. In the past we would come and treat the whole community,” he stressed.
Kaoma District Commissioner, Kashina Sheba commended the Ministry of Health for the programme which gives hope to the people of Kaoma with regards to eradicating the disease in the area.
