Orbis Provides Clean Water to Save Sight, Ethiopia

Trachoma is a major public health problem in Konso, southern Ethiopia. Scarcity of water, poor personal hygiene and environmental sanitation, overcrowding and lack of awareness on trachoma and eye care give rise to trachoma infections.

Trachoma is the world's leading infectious cause of blindnes. It often begins in early childhood, and is worsened by episodes of reinfection which causes inflammation and scarring of the inner eyelid and leads to horrific pain and irreversible blindness. 

Whilst impressive progress has been made in recent years, we still have a lot to do, particularly as the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem cannot be achieved in isolation when it is linked to so many other pressing health and development issues, including lack of access to clean water, and improved sanitation and hygiene. 

Orbis aims to eliminate trachoma from this region, not only through surgery to correct the disease, but also by distributing the antibiotic zithromax (kindly donated by Pfizer), educating locals on the importance of personal hygiene and improving sanitation by providing clean water and building latrines. 

Orbis is committed to eliminating trachoma. We know we are on the brink of achieving something significant. Eliminating Trachoma. Now, we need to scale up programmes and strengthen health systems to ensure the poorest people, those most affected by trachoma, are not left behind.