THE Fred Hollows Foundation has welcomed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) validation that Fiji has eliminated the eye disease trachoma as a public health problem.
The Foundation has helped drive the work towards eliminating the disease in Fiji, with the support of the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Trust (2016-2019) and the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness and is classified as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD).
The disease thrives in areas where the water is scarce, and the sanitation is poor. The active infection is more commonly seen in children, where blinding complications are seen in adults and older people.
The Fred Hollows Foundation CEO Ross Piper congratulated the Government and partners for working collectively to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem.
“Since 2016, The Fred Hollows Foundation has supported trachoma initiatives in Fiji in partnership with Project Heaven and international support from research organisations.
“This is a significant achievement that is only made possible through cooperation and collaboration from local through to international partners.
“The Government of Fiji has played an important role in driving trachoma elimination activities and ensuring we reach the most remote areas of the country.
“Our implementing partners, Project Heaven, have played a central role in driving the program forward, alongside our research partners, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Burnet Institute.
“We’re also grateful for the strong technical and advocacy support provided by the WHO and the National Prevention of Blindness Committee, as well as survey support from the International Trachoma Initiative and Tropical Data.”
Efforts to eliminate trachoma in Fiji started with trachoma surveys conducted prior to 2016 by IAPB which laid the groundwork for success.
The Foundation acknowledges the vital contributions of the following organisations to trachoma efforts:
- Project Heaven
- Pacific Eye Institute (PEI)
- International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- The Burnet Institute
- The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ
- World Health Organization (Division of Pacific Support)
The Foundation’s Pacific Trachoma Lead, Dr Anasaini Cama, said trachoma in Fiji was complex and presented atypically.
“Additional research and ancillary surveys looking at levels of scarring on the inner eyelid and limbal signs pathognomonic for trachoma in 10 to 14-year-old-children, was crucial in understanding the picture of trachoma in the country and ultimately moving the country into drafting its dossier.”
The Foundation’s Pacific Country Manager, Sara Webster, said: “Fiji’s journey to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem demonstrates that by working in partnership at the global and local levels, we can deliver results that have a lasting impact on people’s quality of life and wellbeing.”