Struggling with Trachoma in Turkey (1925-1945)

Trachoma, which has been especially emphasized since the first years ofRepublic and which is one of the biggest health problems in the country, is anepidemic disease that starts on the membrane inside the eye lid and causes blindnessin the ongoing process. The disease is seen mostly in Southern and SoutheasternAnatolia Region in Turkey. The disease is so common that the city of Adıyaman isnamed “The City of Blinds”. The struggle with the disease started in 1925 inMalatya and Adıyaman and was extended in time in a way that it included the otherplaces threatened by the disease. Hospitals and dispensaries were established incities and towns and village treatment houses were opened in villages in order to cure patients with trachoma. On the other hand, in order to prevent the spreading ofthis epidemic disease, awareness of the public was ensured and increased. The longtermedstruggle with trachoma disease which caused problems both in terms ofhealth and social life of the people of Anatolia, has given positive results in years.