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Controlling Trachoma in Morocco

Background:

Trachoma is a very popular disease and has impaired almost two million people (Skolnik 2020). Trachoma is an eye disease from the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria and is prominent in over 30 countries with 158 million people (Skolnik 2020). Trachoma is one of the top causes of blindness worldwide, only second to cataracts despite being preventable (Skolnik 2020). This disease can lead to permanent visual impairment and blindness, which happens at older age despite initial infection starting in childhood (Skolnik 2020). This disease can be painful to those infected, and affects patients for the rest of their lives. 

Trachoma has been able to spread quickly in regions with “crowded households, poor hygiene, a lack of water, and poor sanitation” (Skolnik 2020). Infection spreads by touching eye or nose discharge, and close contact (Hammou 2020). Despite Trachoma’s hyperendemic status in 37 countries worldwide, Africa has been the most affected, especially hot areas of Morocco (Skolnik 2020). Morocco began a downward trend of cases in the 1970’s and 1980’s, but slowed in only some areas of the country, like big cities (Skolnik 2020). Trachoma patients in Morocco mainly lived in rural areas at the time, and were in need of assistance to slow the spread and treat existing infections (Skolnik 2020).

Intervention:

A few interventions were carried out to control trachoma in Morocco, including a preventative program and the use of antibiotics. The program, titled SAFE (for surgery, antibiotics, face washing, and environmental change), incorporates the above mentioned aspects to combat trachoma (Skolnik, 2020). Like the acronym details, surgery to prevent blindness was provided to small towns and villages, face washing was emphasized, environmental change was implemented with the construction of wells and latrines, and finally, antibiotics were administered (Skolnik, 2020). Zithromax, a bacteria fighting antibiotic, was discovered by Pfizer to treat trachoma in one-dose (Skolnik, 2020). This was a step forward from previous interventions because SAFE focused on behavioral and environmental change (Skolnik, 2020). 

Impact & Cost:

The SAFE strategy dropped trachoma rates in Morocco by 75 percent from 1999 to 2003. Since 1997, the prevalence of Trachoma has reduced by 90 percent in children under the age of 10. 

The cost of this intervention was paid for largely by the Moroccan government, while the rest was paid by UNICEF and the International Trachoma Initiative. Pfiezer donated Zithromax to Morocco and other countries