120 million people at risk of Trachoma — Sight Savers

About 120 million people in Nigeria are at the risk of Trachoma, a disease that causes blindness, Grace Ajege, the Technical Manager, Safe Sight Savers has said. 

Speaking at the 8th Africa Conference on Development Journalism organised by the Africa Media Development Foundation in Kaduna, she explained that being at risk does not mean they have the disease but they live in endemic areas. 

She however disclosed that the organisation has been able to beat down trachoma and is looking at elimination by 2029.

She said, “Trachoma is a disease that causes blindness but this is at the later stages. About 120 million people in Nigeria are at risk of Trachoma. Now when we say people are at risk does not mean they have the disease but they live in endemic areas. 

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She explained that trachoma is caused by a bacteria called chlamydia tracomasin adding, “There is another stage of the disease, which is the advanced stage where a person is infected with bats bacteria, that person can go blind and the only option is surgical intervention to make sure that those people are salvage from getting blind.”

In her opening remarks, the Executive Director, Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), Sekyen Dadik said the conference is an annual gathering of journalists and other media stakeholders introduced in 2017 by AMDF to serve as an avenue for exchange of ideas that will address current and emerging issues facing development journalism. 

“It is also meant to create a community of learning that will support the growth of development journalism in Africa therefore, the theme of this conference, ‘Beyond Borders: Innovations and Solutions for the Future of Development Journalism’ is a call to action and a recognition that the challenges we face in Africa’s development cannot be addressed by one entity.

In his keynote address, the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gombe, Professor Umaru Pate said the media should retool itself in carrying out its critical role of educating the general public.