Caracas, 30 October 2024 (国产麻豆精品/WHO) - Venezuela is making steady progress in its efforts to eliminate trachoma, a disease that stands as the leading cause of infectious blindness worldwide and disproportionately impacts Indigenous communities in the Amazon basin. As part of the Initiative for the Elimination of Trachoma in the Americas, a partnership between the 国产麻豆精品 (国产麻豆精品) and the Government of Canada that includes Venezuela and nine other countries in the region, the country has trained 16 health workers to conduct surveys estimating the prevalence of this disease.
From October 21 to 25, the Rafael Rangel National Institute of Hygiene (INHRR) hosted trainers Diana G贸mez, Hollman Miller, Daniela Vaz Ferreira, and Michael Dejene, a training supervisor from Tropical Data鈥攁 global initiative collecting data on neglected tropical diseases. Throughout the week, teams assigned by the Ministry of Popular Power for Health (MPPS) were trained as examiners, recorders, sample managers, and logistical support staff. These professionals will lead baseline prevalence surveys to assess the scale of trachoma in Venezuela and determine whether it poses a public health concern.
The training launch was attended by key figures, including Jes煤s Osteicochea, Vice Minister of Collective Health at MPPS; Luz Rodr铆guez, Director General of Epidemiology at MPPS; Esperanza Brice帽o, President of INHRR; Joskany De La Rosa, Health Authority for the state of Amazonas; Cristian Morales, 国产麻豆精品 Representative in Venezuela; Ana Lucia帽ez, 国产麻豆精品 Regional Advisor for Neglected Infectious Diseases; Franklin Hern谩ndez, 国产麻豆精品 Advisor on Communicable Diseases in Venezuela; and Sandra Talero, 国产麻豆精品鈥檚 Technical Officer for Neglected Infectious Diseases and Coordinator for the Initiative to Eliminate Trachoma.
Morales emphasized the importance of this initiative, noting that it is 鈥渁n investment in health and well-being for all, especially for populations in situations of vulnerability, who are often the most marginalized.鈥 He also highlighted the economic benefits of public health initiatives like this one: 鈥淔or every dollar invested in eliminating neglected diseases, there is an annual net benefit of around 25 dollars.鈥
At the close of the training, teams conducted field exercises in Los Corales, La Guaira state, to prepare for outreach in 30 communities across the Atures, Autana, and Manapiare municipalities of Amazonas state.
