The African Institute for Health and Development (AIHD) in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH), has embarked on a mission to eliminate the deadly disease of Trachoma. This comes at a time when Trachoma is a major cause of blindness in the poor nations, especially in Africa, Asia and the Middle East in areas with hot, dry, arid, and dusty climates. In Kenya, the study is being conducted in West Pokot region, that begun June 2023. Trachoma is one of the five (5) Preventive Chemotherapy Neglected Tropical Diseases (PC- NTDs) targeted for elimination and control according to the Kenya National Strategy for Breaking their Transmission (BTS) (2018-2023). Kenya’s national eyecare management information data from the sub-counties and a national blindness survey indicated that trachoma is still endemic in 12 out of the total 47 counties in Kenya namely, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Narok,
Kajiado, Samburu, Laikipia, Meru, Embu, Kitui and Marsabit.
In 2019, a survey conducted in 190 villages in Pokot West and Pokot North sub-counties established an increase of 1,200 Trachomatous trichiasis (TT) cases up from 430 cases in Pokot West and an increase of 1,430 TT cases up from 800 in Pokot North. Pastoral communities attribute trachoma to supernatural factors including punishment by God, curses, and accidents. Low surgery seeking behaviors, poor facial cleanliness and inadequate environmental improvement were identified as key risk factors that significantly contributed to this situation. These factors were compounded by insufficient knowledge, poor attitudes and practices by the communities that facilitated the infections.
The project will use the Community Action Model (CAM) approach which is designed to build communities’ capacity to address public health concerns through active engagement of the members. The model has proven to be effective since it allows communities to address their unique characteristics when developing and implementing public health interventions.