A trachoma eradication campaign has been launched in Gatundu North Constituency where 30% of the population is allegedly affected and is in danger of going blind.
The campaign launched by Queen Elizabeth Trust in Conjunction with AMREF, Sight Savers and Kiambu County government targets hard-to-reach areas of the constituency and is to be carried out twice every month.
According to Dr John Soine, an ophthalmic clinical officer at Kiambu County hospital, the outreach campaign is set to start at Mataara Sub-Location, and will last for ten days with its culmination being at the Makwa location in Gatundu South.
Dr Soine said there is a backlog of 4,000 cases of trachoma in the county awaiting operation and that through the outreach, they plan to at least operate on 600 cases translating to six cases a day.
He said, “Screening of patients will be done at the homesteads with at least 2,000 people targeted. Those with mild eye problems requiring no surgery will be treated at their homes. Those who need surgery will be operated on at the nearest selected surgical sites while complicated cases will be referred to Kiambu County hospital.”
He added that the programme is ongoing in eleven other counties across the country with the principal aim being to eliminate trachoma cases from the country by 2019.
According to statistics, an estimated 19 percent of all cases of blindness in the county are caused by trachoma.
In related news, the Lutheran Church together with the Kiambu County Government have organised a five-day free eye clinic at Kiambu county hospital starting June 1-5, 2015.
The free eye clinic targets patients with cataracts. Screening of patients will be done at Thika Level Five Hospital with referral cases being dealt with at the Kiambu County Hospital for surgery.