Elimination of Blinding Trachoma in Mali and Niger Phase II

Mali, Niger

The Grant contributed to the phase II of a project launched by the Carter Centre in 2014, with financial support from OFID (grant in the amount of US$500,000) with the aim of eliminating blinding trachoma in Mali and Niger. Building on the successful results achieved during Phase I, Phase II involved offering surgeries to TT patients in Mali and Niger over three years. The primary objective of the Elimination of Blinding Trachoma in Mali and Niger project is to eliminate blinding trachoma in Mali and Niger through implementation of the WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy. The SAFE strategy includes Surgery to correct TT, Antibiotic distribution to treat infection and reduce transmission, Facial cleanliness to decrease ocular and nasal discharge that can spread infection, and Environmental improvement to promote household latrine use to reduce fly populations that carry infection amongst individuals. The Carter Center works in collaboration with the federal ministries of health in Mali and Niger as well as other non-governmental organizations, such as Helen Keller International and Sightsavers. We aim to strengthen the Malian and Nigerien national trachoma surveillance systems, helping both countries to transition from active intervention to post-endemic care and monitoring. The ministries of health in Mali and Niger have revised elimination target dates of 2020 and 2025, respectively, though it is expected that Niger will achieve the elimination thresholds for TT prior to 2025. During this reporting period for grant Year 3 (May 1, 2019-April 30, 2020) the project achieved several notable successes: • Assisted in 3,111 trichiasis surgeries in Niger, of which approximately 63 percent were • performed on women; • Supported the Mali and Niger National Programs by distributing tubes of TEO to assure 100 • percent of all surgical patients received TEO post-operatively; • Contributed all TEO required for MDA campaigns in Niger, totaling 150,000 tubes of TEO; • Provided 247 villages in Mali and 600 villages and 1,481 schools in Niger with ongoing health education; • Supported 45,459 radio broadcasts in Niger; • Trained 657 community health workers, women’s groups, teachers and religious leaders in Mali and 441 community leaders in Niger; • Trained 258 masons in Mali and 300 masons in Niger to build latrines; • Constructed 2,184 latrines in Mali and 12,306 latrines in Niger; and • Supported the Malian National Program to conduct seven surveillance surveys and complete a draft of the elimination dossier. During this Project there has seen significant progress and program advancement toward the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in both countries. Mali is nearing the elimination target, with only four districts remaining to survey and great progress already made on the elimination dossier. Niger has shrunk the estimated TT backlog to a mere 8,540 cases. The collaboration and coordination observed between implementing partners have benefitted both programs with improved planning, data management, and program innovations. The national programs have also collaborated to learn from one another as evidenced by participation in cross-border meetings, post-elimination surveillance workshops, and ratissage planning meetings. Moving forward, dynamic planning and strong collaborative efforts will continue to accelerate progress.