India Eliminates Trachoma

In a historic achievement, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that India has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the third country in the South-East Asia Region—after Nepal and Myanmar—to achieve this milestone. The declaration was made during the 77th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia, held from October 7-9, 2024, in New Delhi, India.

The official certification was presented to the representatives of the Health Ministry of the Government of India, by Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia. This accomplishment reflects India’s sustained efforts to combat preventable blindness and improve public health through hygiene promotion, environmental cleanliness, and access to healthcare.

Trachoma (Trachoma – The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness), a bacterial eye infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, spreads through contact with contaminated eye, nose, or throat secretions and, if untreated, can lead to irreversible blindness. WHO recognizes trachoma as a neglected tropical disease and is a major public health challenge in 38 countries affecting approximately 150 million people.

India’s fight against trachoma began in 1963 with the launch of the National Trachoma Control Program, later integrated into the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI). Blindness from trachoma, which affected 5% of the population in 1971, has now dropped to below 1%. This was possible due to implementation of various interventions under (NPCBVI) and countrywide implementation of WHO’s SAFE strategy (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvements).

In 2017, India was declared free of infective trachoma, but nationwide surveillance continued until 2024. A comprehensive survey across 200 endemic districts confirmed the absence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT), meeting WHO’s criteria for elimination. With the successful completion of this public health endeavor, India has taken a significant step toward eradicating blindness caused by neglected tropical diseases. With this India achieves one of the Regional targets of elimination of Trachoma by 2025.