Minister tackles blinding Tracoma
Published On February 18, 2017 » 1645 Views» By Davies M.M Chanda » Features
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Beyond NewsBy NDUBI MVULA –
MINISTER of Health Chitalu Chilufya has said trachoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness caused by infection.
Dr Chilufya, however, notes that it is the Government’s desire that the people remain healthy and productive so that they can pursue higher aspirations for the country to attain economic prosperity.
“We are gathered here to share with you the results of the Trachoma Baseline Survey for 2016, which was conducted in 46 districts. The objective of the survey was to estimate the prevalence of trachoma in 46 selected districts in our country,” he said.
In a speech read for him by director public health Caroline Phiri, Dr Chilufya said in 2012, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised a group of 17 communicable diseases which commonly affected people in poor communities.
He said the diseases, now called the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), were predominantly found in areas with poor water and sanitation facilities.
“These NTDs are earmarked for control and elimination by the year 2020 by WHO member states. These diseases cause marked morbidity and sometimes mortality in the people affected. They also perpetuate poverty,” Dr Chilufya said during the presentation of the Trachoma Survey Results 2016 in Lusaka last week.
The minister said of the 17 NTDs, Zambia was endemic to seven, which were trachoma, elephantiasis, bilharzia, tape-worms, sleeping sickness, leprosy and intestinal worms.
Trachoma is caused by a bacterium which is spread from person to person by the common housefly. This disease is preventable.
The Ministry of Health first conducted the trachoma baseline survey between 2007 and 2011 in seven districts, namely, Mpika, Mufulira, Kaoma, Sinazongwe, Choma, Nchelenge and Chienge. The results showed there was trachoma with the prevalence ranging from 14.3 per cent to 32.7 per cent in six of the seven districts, except for Mpika which had a prevalence rate of 7.9 per cent.
“In response to the findings of the baseline results, we have been implementing the SAFE strategy in collaboration with line ministries and cooperating partners. You may wish to note that these results have been validated by the Trachoma Elimination Technical Committee, and this is a clear demonstration that we are on course to meeting the 2020 target of eliminating trachoma in Zambia,” Dr Chilufya said.
This reaffirmed the Government’s clarion call that the focus of the Ministry of Health in the next five years of the National Health Strategic Plan (2017-2021) would be based on taking the health sector to a higher level, anchored on a strong base of primary healthcare.
Dr Chilufya said the Government’s fundamental goal would be to strengthen the health systems, in order to enhance service delivery through the continuum of care.
This shall span health promotion, disease prevention, as well as continuously improving the treatment and rehabilitation capacities.
He said the ministry was going to focus on keeping the people healthy, and treating those that were going to fall ill by providing effective and affordable therapies.
“We are transforming into a ‘Ministry of Health’, and not a ‘Ministry of Treatment’, as we take aim at the upstream factors that determine the health of our people. The Ministry of Health will, therefore, strengthen the operations and coordination of the Trachoma Task Forces at national, provincial and district levels, alongside coordination of partner support,” the minister said.
He strongly felt that for an aspirational and transformative path, based on mutual trust and confidence, there was need to build partnerships and social contracts with the people.
Dr Chilufya said the transformation would put the individual, and the family, firmly in control of their health destiny and not merely passive recipients of treatment when they fell sick.
To achieve the outcome of the survey, Dr Chilufya said the work had been made possible by committed health workers, cooperating partners such as the Sightsavers, Lions Aid Norway, Orbis, Geneva Global, Operation Eyesight Universal (OEU) and the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) and sister ministries like the  Ministry of General Education, Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing that had helped implement the WASH strategy, which also supported the trachoma elimination efforts.
“Let us continue to pool our resources and efforts towards this noble fight, which will see Zambia eliminating blinding trachoma by 2020!” he said.

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