The Doctors of the Amazon Rainforest Association
The Doctors of the Amazon Rainforest Association
The more we work with indigenous communities, the more needs are revealed.
In some of Brazil’s indigenous communities, trachoma has been identified in more than half of the populations of certain areas, reaching more than 30% of children present there. Trachoma is an infectious disease that, if left untreated, can cause blindness.
Trachoma is the world’s main cause of blindness through infection, and is considered a public health issue by the WHO (World Health Organization).
The disease is transmitted through coming in contact with infectious secretions from the eyes and nose, and is also spread by flies that interact with these secretions. It is mainly found in areas that have larger concentrations of poverty, that lack basic sanitation infrastructure and where it is difficult to access clean water.
