Daily Times

LAHORE: A survey conducted by the National Trachoma Task Force has revealed that trachoma was the major cause of blindness in 54 districts of Pakistan, said Ophthalmologist Professor Asad Aslam Khan of the King Edward Medical College while addressing the launching ceremony of the Mass Drug Administration for elimination of trachoma here on Saturday.

He said that the percentage of the disease was very high in Kamber Shahdadkot and Chitral. He said that the medicine would be administered to the people at mass level to eradicate the disease. “Pfizer Company would provide medicine while distribution and courier arrangements could be done by the CBM.”

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique said that government was focusing on provision of quality healthcare services to check the spread of diseases. He said that a comprehensive prevention of diseases programme was being implemented in Punjab.

National Committee for Eye Health Chairman Prof Asad Aslam Khan, International Trachoma Initiative Director Paul Emerson, CBM Medical Adviser Dr Babar Qureshi, Regional Director Tanja Kern, Country Director Farah Naz, Fred Hollows Foundation country manager, coordinators from different provinces and a number of experts attended the ceremony.

The minister appreciated the efforts and collaboration of the National Trachoma Task Force, National Committee for Eye Health Pakistan, World Health Organisation (WHO), International Trachoma Initiative and Fred Hallows Foundation in this regard.

He added that the organisations and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were helping the federal as well as provincial governments for a greater cause to overcome the disease. He was of the view that public and private partnership was vital to develop a healthy society for which the government would welcome all such institutions to work for elimination of disease.

Trachoma is an infectious disease caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, while administration of drugs to the people irrespective of disease status is referred to as mass drug administration (MDA).

Published in Daily Times, August 6^th 2017.