Nigeria, along with 15 other countries, has been granted a significant boost with a $36.5 million injection of funds aimed at combating trachoma, a debilitating eye disease.
Dr. Joy Shu’aibu, the Country Director for Sightsavers, an international development organization, announced this positive development in a statement released on Thursday in Abuja.
Trachoma, classified as a neglected tropical disease, begins as a bacterial infection affecting the eyes, eventually leading to vision impairment and irreversible blindness.
Dr. Shu’aibu underscored the significance of the funding allocated under the “Accelerate Programme,” which aims to eradicate the disease by 2027.
Highlighting the devastating impact of trachoma on individuals, she emphasized how it hampers their ability to work, sustain livelihoods, carry out household tasks, and pursue education. Dr. Shu’aibu vividly described the pain experienced by those affected, likening it to having sand or thorns embedded in the eyes.
Drawing attention to the successes achieved through previous interventions, Dr. Shu’aibu noted that Sightsavers, through the Programme, assisted the Republic of Benin in achieving trachoma elimination in 2023. With the infusion of new funding, support will be intensified for 16 additional countries, including Nigeria, to decisively tackle the scourge of trachoma.
Furthermore, she elaborated that the additional funds would extend the reach of the Programme, which commenced in 2018. The funding has been sourced from various international donors, notably including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and the ELMA Foundation, among others.
It is worth noting that the primary objective of the initiative is to eliminate trachoma as a public health concern by 2027 in 12 targeted countries, including Nigeria. Support will also be extended to Ethiopia, which bears the world’s highest burden of the disease.
Trachoma remains a significant public health challenge in many parts of the world, particularly in regions with limited access to healthcare services and sanitation facilities.
REF: Nairametrics.
