Urgent| The World Health Organization announces from Geneva… Details of Egypt’s journey to eliminate trachoma
Today, the World Health Organization announced from Geneva that Egypt has succeeded in eliminating trachoma, as a public health problem, achieving a historic achievement in the field of public health for both the country and the organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Region. Ratifying this major achievement achieved by Egypt.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the Organization, said: “I congratulate Egypt on achieving this achievement and ridding its people of trachoma, as it is evidence of the effective and sustainable national leadership role, effective monitoring, and community participation in eliminating a disease that humans have suffered from since ancient times.”
Despite Egypt’s success In achieving this achievement, trachoma still represents a public health problem in 30 countries, as it is responsible for blindness or visual impairment in about 1.9 million people, and the blindness it causes is difficult to cure.
According to data received during the month of April 2024, there are 103 million people living in trachoma-endemic areas who are at risk of becoming blind due to it.
A century’s march to combat trachoma. Trachoma
Documents support that trachoma has been present in Egypt for more than 3,000 years, and public health efforts to reduce the burden of trachoma began in the early twentieth century, when pioneering ophthalmologist Sir Arthur Ferguson Macallan established the first permanent mobile eye hospitals in Egypt and laid the foundation for systematic control of trachoma globally.
But by the 1980s, the disease continued to cause blindness. It affects many adults and affects more than half of all children in some local communities inhabiting the Nile Delta.
The Ministry of Health and Population in Egypt has also sought, since 2002, in cooperation with the organization and other national and international stakeholders, to eliminate trachoma by following the SAFE strategy approved by the organization, which is surgery for trichomoniasis, the use of antibiotics to remove the organisms causing the disease, facial hygiene, and improving the environment.
Mapping operations and intensive surveillance efforts have demonstrated The project conducted between 2015 and 2025 in all 27 governorates of Egypt has shown a steady decline in the proportion of children aged 1 to 9 years with active (inflammatory) trachoma, and the absence of a significant burden of blinding trachoma complications in adults.
Both of these indicators are now below WHO thresholds for elimination prevalence rates across the country.
It also established Egypt aims to integrate trachoma surveillance efforts into its national electronic disease reporting system in 2024, which will facilitate a rapid response to any future cases.
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, stated: “The elimination of trachoma in Egypt as a public health problem confirms the country’s continued commitment to providing equitable health care, and also confirms the qualitative change that initiatives such as the “Hayat” initiative are bringing about. Generous» Which expanded access to safe water, sanitation, and primary care services in rural communities.
This achievement is a collective victory for health workers, local communities, and partners in Egypt who cooperated to eradicate this ancient disease.”
Trachoma is the second neglected tropical disease to be eliminated by Egypt, following the organization’s certification in 2018 that the country had eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a disease. Public health problems.
Thus, the total number of countries in the world that have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease becomes 58 countries, including nine countries in the organization’s Eastern Mediterranean region.
Dr. Nima Abdel, the organization’s representative in Egypt, also spoke, saying: “This achievement is added to Egypt’s track record in the field of eliminating communicable diseases, including polio, measles, rubella, and malaria in recent times.” The latter.
It is an achievement that proves what can be achieved when political commitments come together with strong partnerships and efforts made continuously for years in the field of public health, led by the Ministry of Health and Population, in order to achieve a common vision.
This achievement achieved by Egypt also serves as an example that constitutes a source of inspiration for other countries, whether inside or outside the region."
Successful cooperation relations and partnerships
The elimination of trachoma in Egypt came The result of strong national leadership, coordinated action, and broad cooperation across sectors as a whole.
The organization worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Population to provide technical guidance, support monitoring efforts, and verify results throughout the disease elimination process.
This achievement was achieved thanks to technical inputs and financial contributions provided by many partners, including the “Decent Life” Foundation. The Eastern Mediterranean Trachoma Control Alliance, the Norseen Charitable Foundation, the International Trachoma Initiative, the Global Trachoma Mapping Project, the Royal Commonwealth Blind Association (Sight Savers Association), the Christian Mission to Aid the Blind, the Kilimanjaro Community Ophthalmology Center, the Magrabi Foundation, and the Global Tropical Data Initiative.
For her part, Dr. Hanan Balkhi, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said: “Congratulations to Egypt on this historic achievement in Eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.
Together, we have proven that eliminating the disease is possible thanks to cooperation and perseverance.
This success is nothing but the embodiment of years of dedication and tireless efforts made by local communities, health workers and partners who firmly believe that every person has the right to live free from preventable diseases. Egypt today embodies what can be achieved with determination. And persistence."
The organization published information on trachoma and neglected tropical diseases, and said that trachoma, which is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is spread through contact with eye secretions infected with the disease by hands, clothing, hard surfaces, and by flies.
Repeated infections can lead to severe scarring of the eyelid from the inside, the eyelashes turning inward, and their friction with the eyeball: A painful condition known as trichiasis can cause blindness.
Globally, the disease remains endemic among many vulnerable communities with limited access to clean water and sanitation.
In 1998, the organization launched its Alliance to Eliminate Trachoma Globally by 2020 (GET2020) with the support of a network of governments, non-governmental organizations and foundations. The Academy.
WHO continues to support endemic countries to accelerate progress towards achieving the global goal of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem worldwide.
