Blinding Trachoma threatening Chitral population

Chitral --:The inhabitants of Chitral valley are at serious threat from blindness causing trachoma. This blinding infectious disease is common in the valley as evidenced by the population visiting the eye unit of district headquarters’ hospital and various surveys conducted in Chitral.

According to press briefing of Dr. Faizul Mulk community ophthalmologist the situation is very bad. The world health organization has advised the SAFE strategy for the control of trachoma and it is also one of the priority diseases of vision 2020. The infection pool of the disease are children upto 9 years age and the blinding trachoma  found in middle aged population is the end stage disease.

Dr. Faizul Mulk added. that apart from ocular morbidity. the disease also causes economical strain on the community due to blindness and loss of income generation at young age. The SAFE Strategy devised by the world health organization control WHO include Surgery of complications, Antibiotic to treat acute infection Facial cleanliness, Environmental improvement to reduce transmission of disease (SAFE).

A cross-sectional survey conducted in 2004 shows the prevalence of active trachoma to be above 10% and blinding trachoma above 1%. These results mandate the implementation of SAFE strategy in Chitral Dr Faiz said. He requested the world health organization International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and eye care personals to look into the matter and take steps for control of trachoma in the resource scarce part of the world at Chitral.  -- 'Gh Farooqui 23 Apr 2011.