General Manager Dr Kitione Rawalai.

A non-government organization, Project Heaven Trust is working around the clock to ensure there is no outbreak of eye diseases such as trachoma during this cyclone season.

General Manager Dr Kitione Rawalai says various eye infections are prevalent after a tropical cyclone due to the environmental condition, inadequate water supply and poor sanitation.

Dr Rawalai says cases emerge weeks after a disaster, so preparations are underway for a team to visit TC Yasa ravaged areas to conduct awareness, visual and hearing screenings.

He says children and women are more prone to these eye diseases.

“The statistics or the number has sort of levelled off but when we are struck with disaster, pandemics and drought we see there is a rise and after our intervention, it sorts of go down again.”

The Trust is calling on parents to prioritize their children’s welfare and to ensure they thoroughly wash their eyes and face more often to reduce the risk of blindness.