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Morocco succeeds to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem: World Health Organization
Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava, Prateek Saurabh Shrivastava, Jegadeesh Ramasamy
Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| Date of Web Publication | 26-Apr-2017 |
Correspondence Address:
Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava
3rd Floor, Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Ammapettai Village, Thiruporur-Guduvancherry Main Road, Sembakkam Post, Kancheepuram - 603 108, Tamil Nadu
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/1735-1995.205243
How to cite this article:
Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS, Ramasamy J. Morocco succeeds to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem: World Health Organization. J Res Med Sci 2017;22:46 |
How to cite this URL:
Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS, Ramasamy J. Morocco succeeds to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem: World Health Organization. J Res Med Sci [serial online] 2017 [cited 2023 Jun 4];22:46. Available from: https://www.jmsjournal.net/text.asp?2017/22/1/46/205243 |
Sir,
Despite the target to eliminate trachoma as a public health concern by 2020, and implementation of approved strategies, more than 200 million individuals are living in endemic regions distributed across 42 nations and are at the risk of developing disease-induced irreversible blindness.[1] It will not be wrong to say that gradually the reach of planned interventions is on the rise, as observed by some people benefited by surgical or timely antibiotic treatment, but even then, a lot needs to be done, if the national leaders aim to achieve the elimination target.[1],[2]
As a boost to the ongoing prevention and control activities across all endemic nations, the disease no longer remains a public health concern in Morocco.[3] The nation was able to achieve this feat after their consistent efforts which started in the year 1980 with the adoption of the recommended SAFE strategy.[1],[3] From the nation's perspective, it is a remarkable achievement for the health and other allied sectors.[3] However, for other nations in which disease continues to be endemic, this accomplishment is an indicator of the sustained political commitment.[1],[2],[3],[4] In addition, it also indicates the organization of the periodic training of health workers, strengthening of the surveillance system, and improvement in the level of awareness among general population.[1],[2],[3],[4]
At the same time, one of the primary reasons for the achieved success is because of the donation made by the funding agencies under an international initiative to control the disease, and as a result of which azithromycin antibiotic was supplied to the nation.[3] This eventually led to the mobilization of health professionals and active participation of the community members to ensure the universal reach of the control activities, regardless of the settings.[3],[4] Furthermore, till date, eight nations have successfully achieved elimination targets while other endemic nations are expediting the pace of implementation of the World Health Organization's approved strategy.[3]
To conclude, the accomplishment in Morocco is a source of motivation for other endemic regions to work consistently toward elimination of the disease, not only from the region but also from the world.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | |  |
| 1. | |
| 2. | Haddad D, Nwobi B, Schmidt E, Courtright P. Elimination of trachoma-knowing where to intervene. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2016;23:345-6.  |
| 3. | Muluneh EK, Zewotir T, Bekele Z. Rural children active trachoma risk factors and their interactions. Pan Afr Med J 2016;24:128. |
| 4. | |
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