Trachoma

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 5

Trachoma

“For a long time trachoma had been a public health problem in many parts of China and Taiwan was no exception,” he said. “U.N.I.C.E.F. authorised a pilot programme in 1952 for fact-finding to justify a mass campaign in trachoma control and found that 70 per cent of the schoolchildren examined were more or less infected. After a threemonth treatment more than 60 per cent were cured and ! the remainder showed a dis--1 tinct improvement.” An island-wide campaign was launched in 1957 and was extended to include schoolleavers. Five years after the campaign was started in schools and after four years in the community, more than 10m Schoolchildren and as many adults were examined. “Among these the percentage of children requiring treatment was lowered to 18 per cent and to 40 per cent among the adults,” he said. This drive required the direct participation of almost every medical, nursing and educational worker available as well as 2000 recruited community workers for supervision of home treatment. The redefined treatment programme lasted for six years, between 1962 and 1968. costing U.N.I.C.E.F. $2,958,000, Mr Shah said.

Over the years the level of assistance to Taiwan from the United Nations Children’s Fund has been decreased from a grand total of $6,140,200 for all projects to $500,000 in 1971.