In sustained efforts geared towards the reduction of avoidable blindness in Turkana County, the Department for Health and Sanitation has rolled out a 10-day trachoma surveillance exercise in Loima Sub-County.
The survey, supported by the Sight Savers organization, has so far reached 30 households drawn from 30 villages, including Lobei, Urum, Nachacha, Kospir, and Lorengippi, among others. The survey was assessing Trachoma Trachiasis (TT) and Trachoma Follicles (TF) among children aged mainly between one and nine years.
Addressing the household members, the County Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health, Janerose Tioko, emphasized the importance of practising safe hygiene practices including hand washing and safe disposal of solid waste, as a measure to curb the prevalence of trachoma in the region.
“We should carry out safe hygiene practices, drink clean water, and use latrines to avoid contracting Trachoma and reduce its spread,” she said.
She also encouraged the household members to promote facial cleanliness since trachoma spreads through contact with flies that carry the bacteria via hands, clothes, or bedding that have been in contact with an infected person.
County Ophthalmic Services Coordinator Samson Lokele reiterated that the community should promote healthy hygiene habits, adhere to prescribed antibiotics, and improve surrounding conditions to reduce transmissions.
Following the survey, the infected patients with Trachoma Trichiasis and Trachoma Follicles received antibiotics for treatment.
The County Health Management and Sight Savers Kenya teams, as well as Facility-in Charges and several Community Health Promoters were present.
By Peter Gitonga
