Mozambique: Over 217,000 people to be treated for trachoma in Manica

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Mozambique: Over 217,000 people to be treated for trachoma in Manica

3:38 CAT | 14 Sep 2022

File photo: Notícias

Over 217,000 people will be treated for trachoma this week in three districts of the central Mozambican province of Manica.

The target population are residents of Tambara, Macossa and Guro districts, which have the highest number of cases of the disease.

The mass treatment campaign, launched on Monday (12), includes people of all ages.

Trachoma is a conjunctive infection caused by ‘Chlamydia trachomatis’. In severe cases, it can cause blindness. It is curable and is one of the neglected diseases.

There are two types of trachoma, trichiasis and follicular. The causes are the same. But trichiasis is considered more dangerous and can often lead to blindness.

The disease can be transmitted from eye to eye through hands contaminated by secretions from the conjunctiva of individuals with trachoma. It can also be through sharing contaminated objects, or through flies.

Mozambique is one of the countries where neglected diseases are a public health problem.

There are more than five neglected diseases affecting thousands of Mozambicans. Trachoma is one of these endemic diseases.

Personal and collective hygiene is one of the best methods for preventing the disease and break the cycle of infection.

The representative of the provincial director of Health in Manica province, Muassithe Ibo, said at the launching ceremony that brigades made up of over 500 volunteers had been set up to carry up the exercise. They will go from house to house in the three districts to administer medication against the disease.

He added that volunteers were duly selected in the communities and all systems are in place for the campaign to run smoothly and reach the target.

‘The campaign is a result of combined efforts of both Mozambican government and its partners to stop the spread of the disease. In our province, districts of Tambara, Macossa and Guro have the highest number of people infected by the disease’, explained Muassithe Ibo.

‘The campaign ends on Friday (16) and we intend to reach as many people as possible, especially in the most remote areas. Brigades will be in direct contact with the population to carry out door-to-door immunisation”, he added.

He urged the population to join the campaign by ‘opening the doors of their homes to members of the brigades’.

‘We are asking people to join the campaign that will contribute to improve the health of the population. Hence, we will be enhancing the efforts government and its partners. We have chosen these districts because they are the most endemic for trachoma,’ he said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers trachoma as the second cause for blindness and recommends following basic principles of hygiene as a way of preventing the disease.

Source: AIM