Lara Adejoro
The World Health Organisation has validated Senegal as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.
The WHO, which disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, noted that the validation makes Senegal the ninth country in the WHO’s African Region to have achieved this feat.
Trachoma is a neglected tropical disease. It is caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which spreads from person to person through contaminated surfaces, fomites, and flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.
Environmental risk factors for trachoma transmission include poor hygiene, overcrowded living conditions, and inadequate access to clean water and sanitation.
Trachoma remains a public health problem in 32 countries, with an estimated 103 million people living in areas requiring interventions against the disease.
Trachoma is found mainly in the poorest and most rural areas of Africa, Central and South America, Asia, the Western Pacific, and the Middle East.
WHO’s African Region is disproportionately affected by trachoma, with 93 million people living in at-risk areas in April 2024, representing 90 per cent of the global trachoma burden.
The global health body stated that significant progress has been made in the fight against trachoma over the past few years, and the number of people requiring antibiotic treatment for trachoma in the African Region fell by 96 million from 189 million in 2014 to 93 million as of April 2024, representing a 51 per cent reduction.
There are currently 20 countries (Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) in WHO’s African Region that are known to require intervention for trachoma elimination.
A further three countries in the Region (Botswana, Guinea-Bissau, and Namibia) claim to have achieved the prevalence targets for elimination.
The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, said, “I commend Senegal for freeing its population from this disease.
“This milestone is yet another sign of the remarkable progress being made against neglected tropical diseases globally, and offers hope to other countries still working to eliminate trachoma.”
Trachoma has been known in Senegal since the early 1900s and was confirmed as a major cause of blindness through surveys in the 1980s and 1990s. Senegal joined the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma in 1998, conducted its first national survey in 2000, and completed full disease mapping by 2017 with support from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project and Tropical Data.
Trachoma control was consistently integrated into national eye health programmes, first under the National Program for Blindness Prevention, and later through the National Programme for the Promotion of Eye Health, maintaining its commitment to trachoma elimination.
Senegal’s Minister of Health and Social Action, Dr. Ibrahima Sy, noted, “Today we celebrate our victory against trachoma, 21 years after the one against dracunculiasis.
“This new milestone reminds us that our overarching goal remains a Senegal free from neglected tropical diseases. We are fully committed to this, and we are making good progress, notably against human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and onchocerciasis.”
To eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, WHO recommends the SAFE strategy: a comprehensive approach to reduce transmission of the causative organism, clear existing infections, and deal with their effects.
The SAFE strategy consists of surgery to treat the blinding complication (trachomatous trichiasis); antibiotics to clear the infection, particularly mass drug administration of the antibiotic azithromycin (which has been donated by the manufacturer, Pfizer, to elimination programmes through the International Trachoma Initiative); facial cleanliness; and environmental improvement, particularly improving access to water and sanitation.
“Senegal implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy to eliminate trachoma with the support of partners, reaching 2.8 million people who needed them across 24 districts. These activities included provision of surgery to treat the late blinding stage of the disease, conducting antibiotic mass drug administration of azithromycin donated by Pfizer through the International Trachoma Initiative, carrying out public awareness campaigns to promote facial cleanliness, and improvement in access to water supply and sanitation.
“Trachoma is the second neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in Senegal. In 2004, the country was certified free of dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease) transmission. Globally, Senegal joins 24 other countries that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.
“These are Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ghana, India, Iraq, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam. These countries are part of a wider group of 57 countries that have eliminated one or more neglected tropical diseases,” WHO stated.
The organization added that it is supporting Senegal’s health authorities to closely monitor communities in which trachoma was previously endemic to ensure there is no resurgence of the disease.
“Trachoma has cast a shadow over communities in Senegal for more than a century. This long-awaited validation is not only a milestone for public health but a powerful tribute to the tireless dedication of frontline health workers, communities, government leaders, and partners who never gave up.
“Today, we close a chapter that began over a hundred years ago, united with pride, gratitude, and resolve. WHO remains committed to supporting Senegal as the country continues to lead in sustaining this hard-earned achievement,” said the WHO Representative in Senegal, Dr Jean-Marie Vianny Yameogo.
Photo caption: Aminata Samb, a patient in Senegal who received trachoma surgery supported by Sightsavers’ Accelerate programme, is checked by a surgeon in front of her house in February 2025. Photo credits: Sightsavers / Carmen Abd Ali.
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