Eyeworld

109 EW INTERNATIONAL September 2016 Implementing the facial clean- liness and environmental improve- ment aspects of the WHO's SAFE strategy, Ms. Sarah said, can also address a whole host of other condi- tions and diseases that are affecting people's health in these countries. "The elimination of trachoma is heavily enabled by any work undertaken on the other [neglected tropical diseases]," Ms. Sarah said. Pfizer (New York) has donat- ed millions of doses of Zithromax (azithromycin) toward the WHO's GET2020 goals since 1999. In 2015 to 2016, 115 million doses of the an- tibiotic have been sent to countries in need with another 67 million still waiting for shipment. In addition to identifying where trachoma elimination activities are still needed, Dr. Solomon said the GTMP laid the groundwork for a system that is now showing where progress against trachoma has been made. Although the elimination of trachoma with less than 4 years left might seem like a lofty goal, Ms. Sarah and Dr. Solomon agreed that with this new information it is entirely doable. "We are in an amazing position right now in having this nearly complete map of where trachoma is a problem worldwide," Dr. Solomon said. "We have a fantastic network of partners and individuals who are buying into the same philosophies. We only need to raise $700 million to $800 million more to eliminate the disease. "If we don't eliminate trachoma by 2020, or at least show massive progress toward that goal by that date, and if we can't demonstrate that progress, then it will be very difficult to convince the global health community to have another go at it," he said. "This is the one chance in our lifetime to get rid of this thing." EW Reference 1. International Coalition for Trachoma Control for the World Health Organization Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020. Eliminating Trachoma: Accelerating Towards 2020. www.trachomacoalition.org/GET2020. Accessed July 18, 2016. Contact information Sarah: vsarah@hollows.org Solomon: solomona@who.int Caused by the bacterium Chla- mydia trachomatis, which can be passed through contact with infect- ed hands, clothing, or eye-seeking flies, trachoma results in scarring on the inside of the eyelid, eventually causing eyelashes to turn inward and rub against the surface of the eye, leading to extreme pain and possible irreversible blindness. As such, there is a strong "moral imperative" to this campaign, Ms. Sarah said. Anthony Solomon, FRCP, chief scientist, GTMP, and WHO medical officer for trachoma, said, "We owe it to ourselves as a species to make sure that nobody goes blind from trachoma in the next decade. "It's horrible that we still have this disease present in the world when there is so much affluence at global level. People who get tracho- ma get it because they have noth- ing," he said. As the executive summary of the GET2020 Alliance report stated, "[Trachoma] is one of the most un- fair diseases in the world, blinding the people who have the least to start and making them poorer." If the human element doesn't get affected countries and stakehold- ers on board with GET2020, perhaps the economics can. GET2020, the ICTC, and other partners determined that $1 billion is needed to implement SAFE glob- ally. Between $200 million and $300 million has already been committed, Ms. Sarah said, adding that they're trying to attract the remaining funds within the next couple of years. In addition to this funding, countries where the disease is endemic are also committing resources from their own public health budgets toward their GET2020 goal as well. While what's left to be raised is a bit more than pocket change, Ms. Sarah said that in the grand scheme, the re- maining fundraising goal is small. When you look at the economic return on investment, it becomes a no-brainer. "Like most eye diseases, if you think about returning one person to work, then you're also returning children—who would oth- erwise be taken out of school to be looking after them—to school. You have more productive family units, more productive communities. It's an obvious effect," Ms. Sarah said. A F R E S H P E R S P E C T I V E ™ © 2016 Lacrivera, a division of Stephens Instruments. All rights reserved. lacrivera.com ( 855 ) 857-0518 dryness fatigue redness sorie redness irritation ijouble vision dryness redness sore tired eyes gritty pain irritation dry vision sensitivity foreign body sensation dryness redness sore tired eyes pain irritation burning dry itching sensitivity foreign body sensation eysandy fatigue redness eye tired irritation sore tired pain excess watering gritty sandy sensitivity foreign body sensation itching burning gritty excess tears Your LASIK results speak for themselves. Don't let post-op dry eye talk over them. Fight post-op dry eye with the VeraPlug ™ and let your patients enjoy the enhanced visual acuity they expect from day one. VeraPlug. ™ For healthier, happier patients. Visit us at AAO booth #1744

• Cover