As it formally concluded the Trachoma Trichiasis Intervention Program on Monday, the Kaduna State Government commemorated a significant public health achievement: the successful eradication of one of the state’s primary preventable causes of blindness.
Sightsavers’ Country Coordinator for Trachoma, Dr. Teyil Wamyil Mshelia, spoke at the close-out ceremony in Kaduna and called the accomplishment “a collective victory achieved through years of collaboration among government agencies, partners, and local communities.”
She says Kaduna has a particular place in Sightsavers’ history since it was one of the initial locations where the group started fighting preventable blindness more than 70 years ago.
We commemorate one of our biggest public health successes with the eradication of trachoma in Kaduna State. Eliminating lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis (river blindness) is also making significant strides, according to Mshelia.
She said that around 700 persons in the state benefited from corrective eye procedures between 2017 and 2023, while over 500,000 citizens received preventive care.
Strong community involvement, public awareness, and the training of traditional leaders and health professionals were key factors in the accomplishment, she said.
We provided training to ophthalmic nurses, surgeons, and volunteers who visited homes to find cases and connect patients with treatment facilities. Static centres in Kaduna are still providing services related to trachoma as part of the city’s sustainability plan.
However, she urged the state administration to maintain the benefits by guaranteeing a steady supply of consumables and providing remote populations with treatment subsidies.
The poor, who have less access to sanitary facilities and clean water, are primarily affected by trachoma. We can’t let it come back,” she continued.
Dr. Aishatu Abubakar Sadiq, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, who attended on behalf of the state government, said in her remarks that the accomplishment was the result of “years of hard work, political will, and commitment to health equity.”
“Today is a significant day for public health for our people and Nigeria as a whole, not merely the conclusion of a project. Since trachoma was a leading cause of blindness in our rural areas, we have made significant progress. This accomplishment demonstrates what dedication, teamwork, and community service can accomplish,” she said.
One of the most common causes of blindness worldwide is trachoma, a bacterial infection of the eyes that is categorised as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) that is most prevalent in unsanitary environments and places with little access to potable water.
According to Sadiq, the state’s efforts to combat the disease started in 2013 when a baseline survey was carried out in all 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The survey found that Trachoma Trichiasis (TT) was endemic in 11 of the LGAs, including Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Ikara, Kudan, Kubau, Kauru, Kagarko, Lere, Makarfi, and Soba, while Trachoma Follicular (TF) was endemic in Igabi LGA.
She said Kaduna State adopted the internationally renowned SAFE Strategy, which focusses on surgery for the management of trichiasis, antibiotic therapy, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement to stop disease transmission, in accordance with the national recommendations set forth by the Federal Ministry of Health.
With assistance from Sightsavers International and the Federal Ministry of Health, Kaduna State administered tetracycline eye ointment and azithromycin tablets in large quantities to inhabitants of Igabi LGA. 683 people in the 11 endemic LGAs received sight-restoring surgeries as a result of that intervention, which reached 558,761 people, she said.
Sadiq praised Governor Uba Sani for her “visionary leadership” in putting human development and health first in Kaduna State, particularly through measures to fortify emergency response and health systems.
She also thanked Sightsavers International, the Federal Ministry of Health, and other development partners for their financial and technical assistance, which she claimed was crucial to the success of the trachoma elimination campaign.
Speaking at the opening of the SeeClear Nigeria Inclusive Eye Health Care Services Delivery Meeting in Kaduna on February 26, 2025, Dr. Joy Shuaibu, the country director of Sightsavers in Nigeria, stated that the program would be implemented in four northern states to improve access to high-quality eye care services and fight blindness.
According to her, the project will encompass the states of Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Plateau.
