‘Trachoma among major causes of blindness’

LAHORE

Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that the government is focusing on controlling spread of diseases and provision of quality health services to the patients in the hospitals. He said that a comprehensive prevention of diseases programme is being implemented in Punjab.

He stated this while addressing launching ceremony of Mass Drug Administration for Trachoma under global elimination of trachoma organised by National Trachoma Task Force Pakistan at a local hotel on Saturday. National Committee for Eye Health Pakistan Chairman and King Edward Medical College Prof of Ophthalmology Prof Asad Aslam Khan, International Trachoma Initiatives Director Paul Emerson, CBM Medical Adviser Dr Babar Qureshi, Regional Director Tanja Kern, Country Director Farah Naz, country manager, Fred Hollows Foundation and coordinators from different provinces attended the ceremony.

Prof Asad Aslam Khan said the National Trachoma Task Force had conducted a survey regarding Trachoma disease in 54 districts of Pakistan and it was revealed that one of the major causes of blindness in Pakistan was the disease of Trachoma. He said that the prevalence percentage of the disease was very high in Kamber Shehzad Kot and Chattral. He informed that medicine would be administered to the people at mass level to eradicate the disease. Pfizer Company would provide medicine while distribution and courier arrangements could be made by the CBM. Kh Salman Rafique appreciated the efforts and collaboration of National Trachoma Task Force, National Committee for Eye Health Pakistan, WHO, ITI and Fred Hallows Foundation Pakistan. He said that these organisations and NGOs were actually helping the federal as well as provincial governments for a greater cause to overcome diseases. He was of the view that public and private partnership was vital to develop a healthy society for which government would welcome all such institutions for collective efforts to eliminate the diseases from the country.