In 2016, the NT identified 77 communities in five regions as being at risk of trachoma (Table 2.1, Figure 2.1).
Of these at-risk communities 83% (64/77) required screening or treatment for trachoma according to current guidelines, with 12/64 requiring treatment but not screening (Table 2.1, Figure 2.3).
Of the communities that required screening and/or treatment, 86% (55/64) received the required service (Table 2.1).
The remaining 13 at-risk communities did not require screening or treatment as their previous year’s prevalence was under 5% (see methodology) (Table 2.1, Figure 2.3).
Screening coverage
In 2016, the NT identified 52 communities in the five regions requiring screening for trachoma with 47 of those screened (Table 2.1).
Four at-risk communities were not screened due to disruptions in contracted local service programs in one region (Table 2.4).
The proportion of children aged 5-9 years screened in the 47 communities was 92%, ranging from 73% in the Barkly region to 96% in Katherine region (Table 2.2, Figure 2.4).
Clean face prevalence
Clean face prevalence was assessed in all communities that were screened and in most communities that only received treatment.
The overall prevalence of clean faces among children aged 5-9 years in the communities assessed was 70%, ranging from 61% in Alice Springs Remote region, to 88% in the Darwin Rural region (Table 2.2, Figure 2.5).
Trachoma prevalence
The observed prevalence of active trachoma in those aged 5 9 years in 47 communities that were screened in 2016 was 8%. Prevalence ranged from 1.6% in Darwin Rural region to 13.7% in Alice Springs Remote region (Table 2.2, Figure 2.6a).
The estimated prevalence of active trachoma using most recent data carried forward in all 77 at-risk communities was 6.5%, ranging from 1.2 % in East Arnhem region to 15.9% in Alice Springs Remote region (Table 2.2, Figure 2.6b).
The overall prevalence of active trachoma was 6.1%, ranging from 1.1% in East Arnhem to 13.9% in Alice Springs Remote region (Table 2.2, Figure 2.6c).
No trachoma was reported in 28 of the at-risk communities (Table 2.3)
Endemic levels of trachoma (> 5%) were reported in 32 of the at-risk communities (Table 2.3)
Hyperendemic levels of trachoma (> 20%) were reported in 11 of the at-risk communities (Table 2.3)
Treatment delivery and coverage
Trachoma treatment strategies were applied in 36 communities (Table 2.4, Figure 2.3).
Treatment was delivered to those with active trachoma and households in 10 communities, and community wide in 26 communities as per Guidelines (Table 2.4).
Four communities did not receive the treatment which was required by the CDNA Guidelines due to contracted local service program disruption in one region. Trachoma control activities resumed in this region in early 2017 (Table 2.4).
Total treatment coverage for those with active trachoma and community members, and community-wide treatment in all regions requiring treatment was 84% with 8666 doses of azithromycin delivered (Table 2.5, Figure 2.8).
Trichiasis
Reporting for trichiasis screening was available for 76 communities (Table 2.6).
Overall 6515 adults aged 15 years and older were reported to be screened (Table 2.6).
The prevalence of trichiasis in adults aged 15 years and over was 0.6%, and 1.2% in adults aged 40 years and over (Table 2.6).
Surgery for trichiasis was reported to be undertaken for 10 adults, with 23 remaining cases awaiting further review (Table 2.6).
Health promotion activities were reported to have occurred in 31 communities in the Alice Springs Remote, Barkly, Darwin Rural, East Arnhem, and Katherine regions (Table 2.7).
A total of 148 health promotion activities were reported (Table 2.7).
The majority of the health promotion activities were delivered to children, teachers and childcare or preschool staff members, caregivers/parents and community members (Table 2.7)
