Trachoma Elimination Strategy Re-Launched in Karamoja Region
At the World Sight Day celebration held at Nabilatuk Sub-county in Nakapiripirit district with the aim of rebooting the fight against Trachoma in Karamoja region,
Michaela Kelly the Grant Manager of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust-Trachoma Elimination Program a consortium with the task of eliminating Trachoma from Uganda has revealed this on Thursday a
The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust which was set up in March 2014 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee by leaving a lasting legacy in Commonwealth states. The Trust-Trachoma Program is a 5 year Project worth over 40 million pound which will eliminate Trachoma in over 6 counties in Africa, Uganda inclusive. The consortium has The Carter Center as the Coordinating Partner, Christian Blind Mission (CBM) and Sight savers as Implementing Partners for the Surgery component, while Water Missions and Water Aid are face washing and Environmental Hygiene Partners and the Lions of Uganda who are tasked with aspects of mobilization and advocacy. While addressing the media, Ms Kelly also said that over 28,000 patients have so far been saved from blinding Trachoma in Uganda and there has been lots of progress in Uganda, instead of the original goals of reducing the cases of blinding trachoma significantly in Busoga and Karamoja regions. The Trust now plans to eliminate Trachoma from Uganda. However despite this progress, there are still lots of work to do in Karamoja region. This is because 90% of the estimate blinding Trachoma cases are in Karamoja region noted Dr Michael Kakinda from Lions Clubs of Uganda one of the consortium members.He said Nakapiripirit district with population of 189,901 people with 29,218 households only 9,174 (31.4% have pit latrines at their homes the rest answer the call of nature in the bushes.
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