Narok’s rough terrain is a hindrance no longer, thanks to generous Operation Eyesight donors!

How is Operation Eyesight combating blinding trachoma in Kenya? Dr. Steve Mukiri, an ophthalmologist at the Narok District Hospital, reports on the local war against trachoma. (Read Part 1.)

Before any Mass Drug Administration (MDA) exercise can kick off, our teams conduct intensive planning, lobbying and resource mobilization.

The International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) requisitions in advance the trachoma antibiotic medication from Pfizer, with specific quantities calculated by the district pharmacist. Drugs are collected from Nairobi and transported to sentinel sites for easy access. Meanwhile, public education is conducted in the community before beginning the activity, along with recruiting and training field personnel.

Community residents gather around the Operation Eyesight vehicle.

Once everything is organized and scheduled, the MDA exercise begins. Each division is tackled separately in order to maximize field staff and supervision by the eye unit team and district health team. Field tallying and data input is done while in the field. Laptops are crucial, as many places have no electricity.

While the circumstances remain challenging, we are happy to report that logistics and travel have become easier. In 2012, Operation Eyesight donors funded a new 4×4 vehicle for our eye health program, which has contributed to the great success of the MDAs. The rugged Toyota Hilux can handle the rough roads, so now supervisory teams can move easily across the harsh terrain, and field staff can move to needy areas to complete tasks quickly and effectively.

Prior to receiving the new vehicle, movement was difficult, expensive and unreliable. Any movement of the eye care team required us to borrow a vehicle from another department. Whenever we borrowed a vehicle, a promise to service it, repair or replace a certain part was coerced out of us, which sometimes puts us in a tight spot. Dipping into our own pockets was becoming the norm for the program to succeed!

Waiting for antibiotic distribution.

We are very grateful for the Canadian Auto Workers’ generous donation of the vehicle to Narok. It has really motivated us and eased the difficulty and stress of running the eye care program. The residents of Narok really benefit from its presence; and if they are happy, so are we! We recently completed the fifth division out of the six MDAs and the trend is impressive. We are optimistic that we shall surpass last year’s record.

Special thanks to Dr. Steve Mukiri for his report. Operation Eyesight greatly appreciates the Canadian Auto Workers union and their Social Justice Fund. By funding this much-needed vehicle, you are helping make possible a victory against trachoma in Narok!

Dr. Steve Mukiri outlines the logistics of Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in remote areas of Kenya.

This week, we present the first of a two-part story about the ongoing battle against blinding trachoma, a terrible infectious disease that is one of the leading causes of avoidable blindness globally. The World Health Organization, together with partners like Operation Eyesight and local Ministries of Health, has invested huge resources into eliminating trachoma by the year 2020. Dr. Steve Mukiri, an ophthalmologist at the Narok District Hospital in Kenya, recently sent us this report about the local war against trachoma.

In Kenya, Narok is one of the districts where trachoma is endemic. The Narok program is a comprehensive one that encompasses all four elements of the SAFE strategy for trachoma control: Surgery for trichiasis, Antibiotic distribution, Face washing, provision of water and personal hygiene and lastly Environmental improvement, which includes latrines, safe waste disposal and health education.

Narok district recently conducted its fifth round of Mass Drug Administration (MDA) exercise for the elimination of trachoma. It involves giving Zithromax®, an antibiotic which has been shown to be highly effective against the bacteria that causes trachoma, to all residents of the district. The antibiotic is donated free of charge by its manufacturer Pfizer through the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI).

Estimating a child’s antibiotic requirement.

The MDA exercises are gruelling and fraught with challenges, ranging from treacherous terrain, poor road conditions, vast sparsely-inhabited areas, extreme weather conditions, and human-wildlife conflict. The exercise requires our teams to move long distances to reach families and individuals in their manyattas (households), schools and markets, in order to maximize every opportunity to give residents the antibiotic.

Come back next week to learn how the teams prepare for “battle,” and why our donors’ support is so vital in the war against trachoma!