Global Trachoma Treatment Sees 94% Decline: A Major Win Against Blindness

Trachoma is the world's leading infectious cause of blindness. The number of people requiring interventions against trachoma has dropped from 1.5 billion to 97.1 million since 2002. Over 1.1 billion doses of antibiotics have been donated to combat the disease. Thirty years of systematic work Trachoma is the world's leading infectious cause of blindness. Now the number of people needing treatment for the disease has fallen below 100 million for the first time since global records began. In 2002, 1.5 billion people were estimated to be at risk. In November 2025, the figure was 97.1 million. The reduction is the result of decades of work by national health ministries, local communities and international partners. They have implemented WHO's SAFE strategy. SAFE stands for surgery to treat the blinding stage of trachoma, antibiotics to clear infection, facial cleanliness and environmental improvement to reduce transmission. As recently as 2011, 314 million people were estimated to be at risk and need treatment. That figure has now dropped to less than a third. 27 countries have eliminated the disease After Egypt and Fiji were recently validated as free from trachoma as a public health problem, the total number of WHO-validated countries now stands at 27. The list includes at least one country in every WHO region where trachoma is endemic. The 27 countries are Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Togo, Vanuatu and Vietnam. Massive mapping of the disease The Global Trachoma Mapping Project was conducted between 2012 and 2016. It was the largest series of infectious disease surveys ever undertaken. Survey teams collected data from 2.6 million people in 29 countries using smartphones. The work continues through Tropical Data, which has so far supported more than 4,000 surveys in 55 countries. Over 13.1 million people have been examined. Since 2012, on average one person has been examined for trachoma every 25 seconds. Over one billion doses of antibiotics donated Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has donated more than 1.1 billion doses of the antibiotic azithromycin through the International Trachoma Initiative. These partnerships have enabled health ministries to distribute medicines efficiently while strengthening local health systems. A range of different actors have contributed to the success. This includes non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and donors. Many collaborate through the International Coalition for Trachoma Control. What is trachoma Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The disease spreads through contact with infected eye discharges via hands, clothes, surfaces and flies. Repeated infections lead to scarring on the inside of the eyelid. This causes the eyelashes to turn inward and scratch the cornea. This painful condition is called trachomatous trichiasis and can lead to blindness. The disease remains endemic in many vulnerable communities where access to clean water, sanitation and healthcare is limited. WHO continues to support endemic countries to reach the goal of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem globally by 2030.