WHO UGANDA NEWS BULLETIN

Volume 2 Issue 39: November 2014

Trachoma Elimination Program Launched in Uganda

Left to right: Hon. Tumwesigye, Dr. Astrid Bonfield , Dr. Alemu

Wondimagegnehu launch the Uganda Trachoma Action Plan
The WHO Representative Delivering his speech

Buwenge, 26th November 2014:- The Queen Elizabeth

Diamond Jubilee Trust Initiative to support trachoma
elimination in Uganda was launched in Buwenge at Kagoma
Primary School Grounds. The Chief Guest, Hon. Elioda
Tumwesigye said that the most important aspect of dealing
with trachoma was to first agree on its magnitude. He said,
Trachoma is more in women and children than in men.
We need to educate and sensitize society especially
women because theyre responsible for sanitation and
good hygiene at home. He further called upon religious
leaders who have a huge impact on society to also join in on the
cause to eliminate Trachoma.
Hon. Dr. Tumwesigye also appreciated the interventions so far
implemented and said that government is ready to collaborate
with partners to eliminate blinding trachoma from Uganda by
2020. The Minister launched the Trachoma Action Plan, 20142018 that is aligned to WHO global plan for eliminating
Trachoma by 2020.
The Chief Executive Officer of Queen Elizabeth Diamond
Jubilee Trust, Dr. Astrid Bonfield noted that eliminating
trachoma would be a good achievement for the Trust. She
noted that there are only five years to achieve the global target
of eliminating Trachoma by 2020. She further said that the
only way to achieve this was to work as a team. We will not
be judged by what we say, but by what we do in five years
time, she said.
The WHO Country Representative Dr. Wondimagegnehu
Alemu said that Trachoma is the leading cause of preventable
blindness that blinds a person every fifteen minutes. He
reiterated that The International Trachoma Initiative in
collaboration with WHO has set the goal of elimination of
Trachoma by 2020 using the SAFE strategy.

The WHO SAFE strategy is a combination of Surgery to correct

Trachoma Trichiasis, Antibiotic treatment with Azithromycin
for the acute infection; Facial cleanliness promotion to prevent
re-infection of oneself and transmission to others, and
Environmental improvements; access to clean water and good
sanitation. As a major stakeholder, WHO is committed to
supporting the implementation of the Queen Elizabeth
Diamond Jubilee Trust Initiative in Uganda, he said.
The World Health Organization leads an international alliance
of interested parties to work for the global elimination of
trachoma, the Alliance for Global Elimination of Trachoma by
the year 2020 (GET 2020). Of the 229 million people living in
trachoma endemic districts, globally, about 10.8 million of
them live in Uganda. The disease robs people of their sight as
repeated infection turns eyelashes inwards, scraping the
cornea and eventually causing irreversible blindness. Women
who are considered the traditional caretakers of the home, are
almost twice as likely as men to develop blinding trachoma.
In Uganda, the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust
Trachoma Initiative in Uganda will support seven districts in
Karamoja and 10 districts in Busoga region. Surgery will be
provided to 38,834 people with advanced stages of blinding
trachoma. Community health messages will also be used to
sensitize the masses on effective hygiene and sanitation
practices. The program will be coordinated by the Carter
Center and implemented by Sight savers and Christian Blind
Mission (CBM) as partners.
The function brought together, government, development
partners, district leaders, CSOs and the media. All Partners
signed a commitment to implement the Trachoma Elimination
Action Plan.

For more information please contact Benjamin Sensasi, Health Promotion Adviser, WHO Country Office Tel 256-414-335500 Email: sensasIb@.who.int