Ensuring Girls in Ethiopia Receive Basic Eye Care

Globally, trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness. Survey data consistently show that trachoma-related blindness is two to four times higher in women than men. 

Orbis aims to eliminate trachoma as a blinding disease in rural areas of Ethiopia, where the prevalence of the disease is the highest in the world.

Orbis has adopted a four-part strategy, referred to as the SAFE strategy, which includes surgery to correct trichiasis, antimicrobial agents to treat active trachoma, and face washing and environmental changes to prevent transmission. Although adopting the SAFE strategy is not explicitly gender-sensitive, it is necessary for Orbis to be aware of the focus towards women for many reasons...  

• Childcare is primarily the concern of women. As such the women are more likely to attend community outreach centres to receive the antibiotic to treat trachoma. As the main caregiver, the women are more likely to bring their children.
• It is also suggested that women are influenced to a greater extent than those of men by their children's illness. 
• There is a strong association between the presence of active trachoma and the absence of good sanitary conditions (primarily the absence of latrines and the high concentration of flies). The fact that women and girls are primarily responsible for water collection, face washing, and cleaning (if done) of latrines suggests that introducing improved infrastructures will have the greatest effect on women, both in terms of eliminating trachoma and improving quality of life. 

Trachoma remains a major problem, particularly among girls and women in much of sub-Saharan Africa. In order to tackle trachoma, it is important to focus on gender-sensitive intervention.