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Writes Lovemore Chazingwa (Health Reporter)
A total twenty-two registered general nurses have attained qualification to perform surgery on trachoma trichiasis, one of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) prevalent in the country, a media training workshop has heard.
These nurses were trained in 2016 after the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), through the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), realized that there is a higher demand for its treatment in endemic districts yet, specialist medical personnel and some end-of-road locations make them prone to continued neglect.
MoHCC together with partners, including Higher Life Foundation, has renewed efforts to tackle the challenge, henceforth.
In addition to the nurses trained in trachoma trichiasis surgery, village health workers were inducted to conduct baseline detection of signs and symptoms so as to recommend early corrective action to thwart infection.
Assistant coordinator at NIHR, J’ose Alves Phiri said the intervention has borne fruit.
“For the NTDs program, we implement mass treatment on all diseases not only elephantiasis. Currently Zimbabwe, through the support of site surveys, has managed to map 49 out of 63 districts. In those 49 districts mapped, 23 were found to be endemic for trachoma follicles, meaning there was a need for mass treatment. The initial phase was implemented in Binga. We managed to surpass the eighty percent treatment target. It is a remarkable success. We’ve trained 22 registered general nurses (RGNs) in trachoma trichiasis surgery. A total of 5 284 village health workers were inducted to manage TT in endemic districts and prevent incidences of blindness.”
Most of the NTDs need preventive measures as there is no cure when they reach tertiary levels.
There are 20 known NTDs, 14 of these affecting Zimbabwe with four of them commonplace namely, schistosomiasis (bilharzia), trachoma trichiasis (TT), lymphatic filariasis, and elephantiasis.
Trachoma is said to be the oldest neglected tropical disease in the country.
The media training workshop was organized by MoHCC in partnership with the Higher Life Foundation.