WHO DECLARES INDIA FREE OF TRACHOMA
Context:
Recently, in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme (June 29, 2025), the Prime Minister of India announced that India has been declared free of Trachoma by the World Health Organization (WHO).
ABOUT TRACHOMA
- Definition: A bacterial infection primarily affecting the eyes.
- Causative Agent: Caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
- Spread: Highly contagious; spreads through contact with eye, eyelid, nose, or throat secretions of infected individuals.
- Impact: If left untreated, it can cause irreversible blindness.
- Risk Factors: Prevalent in communities living in poor environmental conditions, with inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, and overcrowded living.
- Global Status: The WHO terms Trachoma as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD). Globally, an estimated 1.9 million people have their vision damaged by the infection.
GoI’S INITIATIVE & MILESTONE
- National Trachoma Control Program (NTCP): Launched in 1963.
- Integration: Trachoma control efforts were later integrated into India’s National Program for Control of Blindness (NPCB), launched in 1976 (now NPCBVI – National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment).
KEY MILESTONE
- 2017: India was initially declared free from infective Trachoma.
- 2019-2024: Continuous surveillance for trachoma cases was maintained across all districts of India.
- 2021-2024: The National Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT only) Survey was conducted in 200 endemic districts under NPCBVI. This survey was a mandate set by WHO for official elimination declaration.
- October 2024 (Official WHO Declaration): WHO officially declared that India has eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem. India became the third country in the South-East Asia Region to achieve this milestone (after Nepal and Myanmar).
- May 2025 (Certification): The official Certificate of Elimination was handed to India at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
WHO RECOMMENDS SAFE STRATEGY
To eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, the WHO recommends the SAFE strategy:
- S – Surgery: To treat the blinding stage (trachomatous trichiasis), where eyelashes turn inwards and scratch the eye.
- A – Antibiotics: To clear the infection, particularly through mass drug administration of the antibiotic azithromycin.
- F – Facial Cleanliness: Promotion of clean faces to reduce transmission, especially among children.
- E – Environmental Improvement: Particularly improving access to water and sanitation facilities (WASH initiatives), which reduces breeding grounds for flies and promotes hygiene.
SIGNIFICANCE OF ELIMINATION
- Major Public Health Achievement: Represents a significant victory in India’s fight against preventable blindness and neglected tropical diseases.
- Improved Public Health System: Symbolizes the strengthening of public healthcare systems, hygiene, and sanitation practices nationwide.
- Global Leadership: India’s success provides a roadmap and inspiration for other nations still battling trachoma.
- Contribution to SDGs: Aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health and well-being, clean water, and sanitation.
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