Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Feb 20: The National Trachoma Prevalence Survey in Car Nicobar will start from tomorrow under National Programme for Control of Blindness in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
In a press conference held at the Conference Hall of the Directorate of Health Services today at 03:00pm the Director, DHS, Dr Shiphra Paul said that a medical team comprising of 8 officials from Dr R P Center, AIIMs, New Delhi will be conducting NPCB- National Trachoma Prevalence Survey in 15 villages of Car Nicobar. She said that to eradicate Trachoma from the islands the DHS got enormous support from the Ministry as well as the Administration after Car Nicobar was declared as hyperendamic area for Trachoma.
Further addressing the media, Dr Anita Shah, Ophthalmologist, GB Pant Hospital said that she first diagnosed the active trachoma disease in Car Nicobar after Tsunami and it was very painful for her because the disease cannot be identified by the patient during his/her childhood but the blindness occur to the patient at his adulthood.
She said that however after efforts a rapid assessment of Trachoma was done in 2010 by RP Centre, AIIMs, New Delhi with the support of NPCB, Andaman. Car Nicobar was declared as Hyperendamic area for Trachoma (active infection 50.8%) and subsequently 3 round of MDA with Tab Azithromycin (used in 1st time in India) done successfully. As per the prevalence survey report, the active infection reduced from 50.8% in 2010 to 6.8% in 2013.
Dr Anita further said that a National Level Survey in India in previous hyperendamic and suspects states is planned by Government of India Including Car Nicobar.
