The federal government says Nigeria has achieved more than 85 per cent progress towards eliminating trachoma as a public health problem, with only 11 local government areas (LGAs) yet to attain elimination status.
The Director and Programme Manager, Trachoma Programme, FMoHSW, Nicholas Olobio, stated this during the Accelerate Trachoma Elimination Programme Learning Event organised by SightSavers Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.
Trachoma, the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, is caused by an obligate intracellular bacterium called ‘Chlamydia trachomatis.’
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the infection is transmitted by direct or indirect transfer of eye and nose discharges of infected people, particularly young children, while the discharges can be spread by particular species of flies.
Mr Olobio said the country had stopped mass drug administration (MDA) in 116 of the 134 endemic LGAs after meeting the required elimination threshold, representing about 87 per cent progress in eliminating trachoma.
According to him, Nigeria has also performed over 100,000 Trachoma Trichiasis (TT) surgeries out of an estimated target of 150,000, representing nearly 90 per cent achievement.
Mr Olobio said the ministry intensified surveillance in areas with persistent transmission to prevent a resurgence of the disease.
He explained that beyond routine impact surveys, health officials now collect conjunctival swab samples to determine whether active infections still exist in communities where transmission persists.
He stated, “We have also strengthened disease surveillance to ensure trachoma does not return in areas that have achieved elimination.
“Water, sanitation and hygiene are equally critical because medicines alone cannot eliminate trachoma. Communities must have access to clean water, use sanitary toilets and maintain good hygiene to interrupt transmission.”
He noted that improved environmental sanitation had helped eliminate trachoma in other parts of the world and remained central to Nigeria’s elimination strategy.
Also, Chairman of the National Trachoma Task Force (NTTF), Adamu Mohammed, noted the role of the task force in developing national guidelines for trachoma elimination and ensuring their implementation in line with internationally accepted standards and protocols.
Mr Mohammed, who is also a Consultant Ophthalmologist, said that the task force works with key stakeholders to monitor trachoma surgeries, MDA and surveillance activities aimed at achieving nationwide elimination.
He, however, identified insecurity in Borno State as the greatest challenge to achieving complete elimination, noting that seven of the remaining endemic LGAs are located in the state.
“Most of the LGAs yet to achieve elimination are difficult to access because of insecurity.
“Our partners have done tremendously well, but insecurity continues to limit access to affected communities. There is only so much partners can do without adequate security,” he said.
He urged the government to strengthen security and improve access to hard-to-reach communities to enable health workers to deliver medicines, surgeries and other essential interventions.
Also, Country Trachoma Coordinator, SightSavers Nigeria, Teyil Wamyil-Mshelia, said the organisation’s Accelerate Trachoma Elimination Programme significantly accelerated Nigeria’s progress since its launch in 2018.
Ms Wamyil-Mshelia said using the WHO SAFE strategy, the organisation performed over 60,000 TT surgeries across 195 LGAs and distributed almost 29 million doses of azithromycin in endemic communities.
She added that the programme had conducted 174 trachoma surveys, trained over 50,000 community case finders and strengthened digital tracking, hygiene promotion and behaviour change interventions.
She explained that this has helped to sustain Nigeria’s progress towards eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.
The event brought together government officials, development partners, trachoma experts and other stakeholders to showcase achievements, share lessons learnt and reaffirm commitment to eliminating trachoma in Nigeria.
(NAN)
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