Blindness by trachoma being defeated

El Salvador has recently defeated trachoma, an infectious disease that causes blindness. 

Defeating trachoma stands as one of the great public health successes of the 21st century. The number of people at risk of this blinding disease has plummeted from 1.5 billion in 2002 to 97.1 million as of 2025—a reduction of 94% . This progress has been driven by a clear, coordinated global strategy and strong partnerships.

The Cornerstone: The SAFE Strategy
The global fight against trachoma is built on the WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy, a comprehensive public health approach :
Surgery: To correct the painful, blinding stage of the disease (trachomatous trichiasis) .
Antibiotics: Mass drug administration of azithromycin to treat and clear the infection in communities .
Facial cleanliness: Promoting hygiene to reduce the spread of infection .
Environmental improvement: Improving access to clean water and sanitation .
Global Progress and Country Milestones
The strategy's effectiveness is reflected in the growing number of countries that have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. As of mid-2026, a total of 29 countries have been validated by WHO .

Recent and Key Success Stories:
Egypt was validated in 2025 after implementing the SAFE strategy since 2002, marking a historic milestone for a disease that has affected communities there for millennia .
India was declared trachoma-free in 2024, following extensive nationwide surveillance and surveys that confirmed prevalence below WHO elimination thresholds .
The Gambia eliminated trachoma in 2021 after nearly four decades of work. A door-to-door network of community health volunteers was key to finding and treating cases .
Algeria became the latest country to be validated as of April 2026 .
Regional Champions:
Africa continues to carry the largest burden of the disease, but significant progress is being made. 13 African Union Member States have now eliminated trachoma, including Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, and Senegal . Progress is also being made in the Americas, with a 2026 regional meeting strengthening cooperation among countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Guatemala to accelerate their elimination efforts .
What's Behind the Success?
Several factors have fueled this progress:
Strong Partnerships: National governments have worked with organizations like the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), Sightsavers, and donors like the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) . Crucially, Pfizer Inc. has donated over 1.1 billion doses of azithromycin through the ITI .
Data-Driven Action: Large-scale projects like the Global Trachoma Mapping Project (GTMP) and Tropical Data have mapped the disease precisely, allowing interventions to be targeted where they are most needed .
Integration: Programs are increasingly integrating trachoma efforts with broader water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives and primary healthcare, making them more sustainable .

The Road Ahead: Challenges and the "Last Mile"
Despite this success, trachoma remains a public health problem in 30 countries, with around 103 million people still at risk . The "last mile" to elimination by the 2030 goal is the hardest, often in communities with the weakest infrastructure and ongoing instability .
Funding Gap: An estimated US$300 million is needed to cover funding gaps for surgery, antibiotics, surveys, and research .
Sustained Effort: Success requires a shift from fragmented disease control to integrated, community-owned health solutions anchored in primary care and WASH . The work continues to ensure that future generations in every country are free from the threat of trachoma blindness.

We are sure the world will indeed walk the last mile and trachoma shall be in history books soon.

By Jamuna Rangachari