Trachoma is still a major cause of blindness and low vision in rural Ethiopia; with 37.5% of the world’s trachoma found there. Orbis has been working in rural areas of Ethiopia since 2002, partnering with the International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC), the Carter Center, Sightsavers, Fred Hollows Foundation and the Ethiopian government to implement the World Health Organisation's SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial Cleanliness and Environmental change) strategy to eliminate blinding trachoma as a public health problem.
In 2002, we were working in just three districts, administering around 400,000 doses of Zithromax, an antibiotic which prevents trachoma infection.
However thanks to the support of people like you, in the last three years (2016 - 2019), we were able to work in 15 out of 19 districts and administered over 11 million doses of antibiotics and eye ointments, using our "house to house" approach.