ICROSS releases the Annual Report for 2011 today. As ICROSS concluded its seminar on tribal rights and Rights Based Programming , the Country Director launched the Annual Review compiled by the Field teams. In a challenging year that saw upheaval across the World, ICROSS continued all Rural health programmes and extended nutritional support to vulnerable children and mothers. Danny Ngwiri thanked the many community leaders, Chiefs, Elders and Women's group leaders who helped make the programmes so successful.
Since 1979 ICROSS has continued to serve the poorest of the poor primarily in East Africa. The focus of this years Annual Report remains long term primary care, Maternal Child Health and the development of low cost initiatives that will have lasting impact on disease and poverty. At this weeks Seminar Saruni OleLengeny presented a review of all community health programmes and presented potential new areas of expansion for 2012.
The Seminar heard a presentation on evolving concepts in Global development. The seminar covered key elements in Rights based approaches to Development planning ranging from locally developed policies, collective ownership and action, the new ICROSS strategic plan and performance indicators.
The International Director Dr Michael Meegan spoke about the Public health research plans for 2012 and the incorporation of research into field activities. P OleLasoi shared with the team new changes that are happening in Kenyas Administrative structures this year and streamlining of Districts and Counties with Governors. The Annual Report marks the development of ICROSS Maternal child-health programmes and details some of the key expansion projects that started in 2011.
The Head of Maasai projects detailed the exciting challenges ahead as we begin the year with both Trachoma and Malaria prevention campaigns with the Ministry of Health. You can download the Annual Report at http://icrossinternational.org/
and we always welcome feedback, comments , suggestions as well as new ideas.
Friday, January 20, 2012
ICROSS FIGHTS TRACHOMA JAN 2012
Heres the problem.
Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection similar to conjunctivitis, which, if left untreated, causes extreme pain and eventually leads to blindness. It is easily spread from person to person by unwashed hands and by flies which are attracted by the discharge the infection causes. We have developed a series of fly traps to reduce infection rates.
Repeat infections cause scarring on the inside of the eyelid which is called trichiasis where the eyelid turns inwards making the eyelashes scrape painfully against the eyeball leading to irreparable corneal damage.
Trichiasis sufferers often pull out their eyelashes to relieve the pain but the relief is short lived as they often grow back stronger than before. 84 million people are infected with trachoma and a further 1.2 billion people at risk; nine million people are also waiting for eyelid surgery for the advanced stages of the disease.
Trachoma is linked to extreme poverty and poor sanitation, thriving in overcrowded conditions,mostly in Africa.
Trachoma is most prevalent in the poorest and most remote rural areas of Africa and South Asia – Africa alone carries 65% of active cases. Women are particularly susceptible to trachoma as they spend the most time with children, the worst spreaders of the disease. In trachoma endemic areas up to 86% of cases are in women.
ICROSS has been fighting trachoma with Professor David Morely since 1993. This month sees ICROSS and Ministry of Health teams working together covering 14 locations preventing and reducing Trachoma. This collaboration has reached over 6,000 women and children in January 2012 so far. With your help we can increase this. Our target in 2012 is to reach 36,000 women and children most at risk. We work among populations that have the highest infection rates of trachoma in the World. With your help we can reduce this leading cause of blindness.
Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection similar to conjunctivitis, which, if left untreated, causes extreme pain and eventually leads to blindness. It is easily spread from person to person by unwashed hands and by flies which are attracted by the discharge the infection causes. We have developed a series of fly traps to reduce infection rates.
Repeat infections cause scarring on the inside of the eyelid which is called trichiasis where the eyelid turns inwards making the eyelashes scrape painfully against the eyeball leading to irreparable corneal damage.
Trichiasis sufferers often pull out their eyelashes to relieve the pain but the relief is short lived as they often grow back stronger than before. 84 million people are infected with trachoma and a further 1.2 billion people at risk; nine million people are also waiting for eyelid surgery for the advanced stages of the disease.
Trachoma is linked to extreme poverty and poor sanitation, thriving in overcrowded conditions,mostly in Africa.
Trachoma is most prevalent in the poorest and most remote rural areas of Africa and South Asia – Africa alone carries 65% of active cases. Women are particularly susceptible to trachoma as they spend the most time with children, the worst spreaders of the disease. In trachoma endemic areas up to 86% of cases are in women.
ICROSS has been fighting trachoma with Professor David Morely since 1993. This month sees ICROSS and Ministry of Health teams working together covering 14 locations preventing and reducing Trachoma. This collaboration has reached over 6,000 women and children in January 2012 so far. With your help we can increase this. Our target in 2012 is to reach 36,000 women and children most at risk. We work among populations that have the highest infection rates of trachoma in the World. With your help we can reduce this leading cause of blindness.
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