Trachoma

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Fiji becomes the 26th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem.
WHO defines the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem when the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis is less than 0.2% in people aged 15 years and above, and the prevalence of active trachoma in children aged 1-9 years is less than 5%.

About Trachoma

Trachoma is a contagious bacterial eye disease (a neglected tropical disease) caused by Chlamydia trachomatis infection, leading to visual impairment and blindness.
Transmission: Spread through direct contact (contaminated hands, clothing, bedding), eye-seeking flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes/nose of an infected person.
Risk Groups: Preschool children (primary reservoir) & women (4x higher risk) due to caregiving exposure.
Environmental Risk Factors: Poor sanitation, lack of water access, crowded living, and poor hygiene.
Symptoms and Impact:
- Early Stage: Redness, eye pain, discharge, and photophobia.
- Advanced Stage: Trachomatous trichiasis (inward-growing eyelashes), corneal scarring and irreversible blindness.

Trachoma remains a significant public health problem in 39 countries, causing blindness in approximately 1.9 million people worldwide, reports WHO.
WHO has validated 26 countries, including India, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran, Morocco and Vietnam, for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.

The Government of India launched the National Trachoma Control Program in 1963, and later on, Trachoma control efforts were integrated into India’s National Program for Control of Blindness (NPCB).
The number of cases has significantly reduced to one per cent as a result of various interventions under the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI).
Trachoma elimination in India was declared in October 2024, and the WHO certification was awarded in May 2025.

S – Surgery: For trichiasis correction to prevent blindness.
A – Antibiotics: Mass drug administration to eliminate infection in affected regions.
F – Facial cleanliness: Hygiene promotion campaigns, especially in children.
E – Environmental improvement: Enhanced access to water, sanitation and improved living conditions.