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On October 21st, 2024, Vietnam celebrated a historic milestone in public health as the World Health Organization (WHO) officially validated the country’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem.
This achievement not only eliminates the risk of avoidable blindness from trachoma for the people of Vietnam, but also underscores the country’s dedication to combating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). In honor of this success, WHO presented a commemorative plaque to Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister for Health, at the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines.
Vietnam’s journey toward eliminating trachoma began over seven decades ago, with significant advances made in 1999 when the Ministry of Health launched a national program, WHO’s SAFE strategy — Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement. Supported by local and global partners, this initiaves reduced trachoma prevalence from 1.7% in high-risk provinces 30 years ago to below 0.2% by 2023, meeting the WHO’s treshhold for elimination.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Vietnam’s efforts, emphasizing the collaborative work of community leaders and health professionals. Vietnam now joins a respected group of countries in the Western Pacific Region that have achieved trachoma elimination, becoming the fifth country to do so after Cambodia, China, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Vanuatu. This accomplishment highlights the importance of sustained commitment to tackling NTDs.
WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala said that Vietnam’s success is “a shining example of how targeted interventions, strong partnerships, and sustained effort can bring about real change in the health of populations.”
Beyond protecting people from one of the causes of avoidable blindness, this victory also alleviates the social and economic impacts associated with trachoma. As more countries look to Vietnam’s example, this achievement demonstrates the powerful role of partnerships, community engagement, and global support in advancing public health.
Image credit: Deputy Minister of Health, Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Lien Huong (2nd from left) receives a certificate and a plaque honouring Vietnam’s elimination of trachoma. (photo from WHO)
