Pando, Bolivia, 20 Nov 2024 (PAHO/WHO)- On a recent mission to the Bolivian Amazon, a group of evaluators identified cases of active follicular trachoma in children aged 1 to 9 years, and cases of trachomatous trichiasis in adults. More than 1,341 people from seven indigenous communities of the Esse Ejja, Cavineño, and Tacana peoples were examined in the context of rapid trachoma assessments (RTAs). Trachoma is an eye disease resulting from infection by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
For two weeks, a team of evaluators examined indigenous people in Monte Sinai, Samaria, Exaltación, Jenechiquia, Galilea, Portachuelo Bajo, and Portachuelo Medio. The mission was headed by the eye health area of the Ministry of Health and Sports and by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), together with leaders of the Native Indigenous Central of the Pando Amazon (CIPOAP) and the Indigenous Central of Women of the Pando Amazon (CIMAP), with the support of doctors from the state's community and intercultural family health program (SAFCI). At least 511 RTAs were performed on children between 1 and 9 years of age.
In areas where the disease is endemic, young children are considered to be the main reservoir of the disease, and the family is the main focus of transmission. People living in crowded conditions are at greater risk of transmitting the infection. Poor sanitary conditions, limited access to water, and lack of hygiene, including a dirty face or hands, help to spread the disease.
Bolivia is part of the Initiative for the Elimination of Trachoma in the Americas, under a partnership between PAHO and the Government of Canada. In this context, epidemiological surveillance is being carried out to determine whether trachoma is a public health problem. To date, RTAs have been conducted in the Cordillera Network in the department of Santa Cruz, where Guaraní municipalities and communities are the majority; and in the Indigenous Health Network of the Tropic of Cochabamba, with Yuracaré and Yuquí indigenous peoples and nations.
In October and November, after coordination with senior officials of CIMAP and leaders of nations in the prioritized area (Sanjines Mamio of the Ese Ejja people, José Feliciano of the Tacana people, and Grober Tabo of the Cavineña nation), logistic resources were mobilized in the Amazonian indigenous territories of Bolivia.
Ely Linares, a PAHO consultant deployed in the territory, said that "the living conditions in the communities are very difficult. They do not have water services, physical access is limited, and in recent months forest fires have contaminated water sources and polluted the air."
Linares said that access to the communities of the three peoples was achieved thanks to support from the indigenous authorities who accompanied the mission to the communities as the teams went house to house. "They made introductions so that families would accept us. Also, local health workers supported the team of physicians with referrals to other levels of care," said Linares.
Trachoma interventions are also used to monitor other diseases of interest and provide comprehensive care in communities.
The Ministry of Health and Sports also provided ophthalmology and pediatric care to the population. During the NID campaign, people with eye conditions such as pterygium and cataracts were identified and offered surgery within the framework of the government’s eye surgery campaigns. A traditional doctor certified by the Ministry of Health attended to other ailments.
PAHO works hand in hand with local health authorities in the countries to strengthen national and subnational capacities to provide health services with a gender and intercultural approach.
