TRENDS ANALYSIS OF REPORTED CASES OF TRACHOMA IN ISA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Trachoma is widely considered a disease that causes by many environment and socio-economic factors, 
leading to visual impairment or blindness on the infected persons. This study examines temporal distribution of 
the reported cases of trachoma in study area. It used both qualitative and quantitative methods. Two set of 
data were used: one was obtained from archives of the general hospital Isa town (2013-2022) and the other 
was through in-depth interview involving head and two others health officials in the study area. Line graph 
was used to show the trends and content analysis was employed to highlight the factors associated with 
trachoma in the community. The trends of the reported trachoma cases records across the study area reveals 
that, in 2013 the cases was very low up to 2016, but it increased in 2017, and also raised in 2018 and started 
falling in 2019 as well as fall drastically in 2022. The high reported cases in 2018 was attributed to the 
massive treatment of the disease sponsored by one of the richest person in the study area as narrated by the 
officials during the in-depth interview at general hospital. However, the results indicates that poor hygiene, 
open defecation, poor sanitation, lack of access to clean water and health care services, and poverty are the 
leading factor that causes trachoma in the area. The study recommends the is need for massive awareness 
campaigns and government should encouraged people to used different methods of waste handling and 
disposal, this well help to reduce cases of trachoma.