Minister of Health launches Penama Trachoma MDA campaign

Minister of Health, Toara Daniel, has launched the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) against Trachoma for Penama Province at Lolowai Godden Memorial Hospital.

Minster Daniel Kalo traveled to Ambae on Monday to launch the MDA campaign after launching the national campaign two weeks ago at the Port Vila Market House.

The launching of the MDA against Trachoma at the Godden Memorial Hospital was one of the first activities the Minister performed as part of his official visit to Ambae.

In his speech to those present at the launching, the mnister explained why the Vanuatu Government represented by the Ministry of Health and its partners including the World Health Organization and Fred Hollows Foundation were carrying out the mass drug administration campaign.

He appealed to everyone in Penama and the country as a whole to take the pill that is being given out so that Vanuatu as well as the whole world can eradicate trachoma so that future generations of the country can be free from the disease.

Close to 300 people in 99 teams of three people – one registered nurse and two volunteers, are going to every home in Vanuatu in the six provinces of the country over the next 4 weeks starting today to give out the pill to every people to take.

The Minister of Health explained to the people of Ambae that a national survey found 12% incidence of Trachoma in the country and that this was a one time opportunity for Vanuatu to eradicate the disease of the eye when people fully participate in the campaign.

The minister, accompanied on the tour by the Second Political Advisor of the Ministry of Health, Simeon Robert and the Acting Director of Public Health Department Jean-Jacque Rory, were met at Longara Airport on arrival on Monday by MP for Ambae Alickson Vira, Vice President of Penama Province Alban Tari, Penama Provincial Health Manager John Harrison, and Penama Province Planner Augustine Garae.

During the 3-day tour, the Minister of Health accompanied by the MP for Ambae and Vice President of Penama also visited Lolopupue and other villages in north Ambae area, saw their health facilities, met the people and handed over solar panels and water tanks for a number of these facilities. At Vandue the Minister spent Monday night at the village and met the people, some of whom came from as far away as Vuigalato and in land as far as Lovuiberugu.

Chiefs of these villages said this was the first time since independence 36 years ago that they had seen a Government minister visiting them in their area even though Members of Parliament from Ambae had held ministerial position in governments over those years. They expressed their profound happiness and satisfaction with the message they heard from the minister and his assurance to help them.