Zambia on course to eliminate Trachoma- Chitalu

Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya

The British Government has provided 50 million pounds to the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, a charitable foundation for the elimination of blinding Trachoma in four African Countries including Zambia from 2013 to 2019.

Speaking at media breakfast briefing on the Trachoma elimination update, Department for International Development (DfID) Zambia Deputy Head, Andrew Ockenden has reiterated  the need to take action towards achieving access to quality eye care for all including eliminating trachoma by 2020.

Mr Ockenden says last year the UK provided 20 million Pounds towards the elimination of Trachoma for the period of 2018 to 2021.

He says Trachoma does not only affect blindness, but limits access to education and prevents individuals from working so as to provide for their families.

Mr. Ockenden states that Trachoma can be preventable if all stakeholders work together.

Speaking at the same event, Queen Elizabeth Dimond Jubilee Trust Trachoma Initiative Chief  Executive Officer Astrida Bonfied says more than 4.8 million people in Zambia were believed to be at risk of going blind from trachoma in 2017 when the trusts Trachoma initiative started in the country.

Dr. Bonfied is happy that the Trusts’ Trachoma Initiative has helped to bring a number of countries to brink of eliminating the blind condition as a public health problem

Dr. Bonfied says 570 people have been provided with sight saving and pain reliving surgeries while 800 people have been trained in case finders to locate people in need of treatment.

Meanwhile Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya has expressed concern that blindness which is preventable and curable is fueling poverty levels in the country.

Dr. Chilufya has however, reaffirmed government’s commitment to ending Trachoma by 2020.

Trachoma is an eye infectious that is commonly found in areas with limited access water and sanitation.