Kebele Elimination of Trachoma for Ocular Health (KETFO)

Date of Start
March 2021

Date of Completion
December 2026

Funder
The National Institute of Health to Francis I. Proctor Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology, San Francisco, California, USA.

Aim
Determine whether three additional targeted azithromycin treatments administered in core group 2-9 years children is more effective than the current WHO program at achieving complete elimination of trachoma after 3 years.

Background
The Amhara National Regional State Health Bureau has implemented the SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement) strategy to eliminate trachoma in all woreda’s of Amhara since 2007. Despite these efforts, there is evidence of substantial variability of disease throughout the region: Zonal prevalence ranges 16% up to 51%. By this trend trachoma prevalence might not be reduced below the elimination threshold within the WHO projection date. An intensive strategy aimed at a small core group could achieve elimination even when current strategies targeting the whole community have difficulty achieving control. A four arm cluster randomized controlled trial is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of three additional targeted azithromycin treatments administered in core group 2-9 years children compared to the standard community wide annual azithromycin distribution. The targeted treatment core groups are 1) all children aged 2-9 years, 2) all children aged 2-9 years with evidence of infection, and 3) all children aged 2-9 years with trachomatous inflammation intense (TI). The study is conducted in Merhabete Woreda, North Shoa Zone, one of the highly trachoma prevalent Woreda’s of Amhara Region.

Progress
Baseline trachoma assessment completed.
First round targeted treatment to children using Azithromycin has been completed.
12 month- follow-up assessment has been completed.