New Delhi/Cairo, November 13: In a landmark global health achievement, Egypt has officially eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, becoming the seventh country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) to do so. With this validation, the number of countries worldwide that have eliminated trachoma has now reached 27, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
Calling the development a “historic milestone,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Egypt’s success reflects “sustained national leadership, strong surveillance and community engagement” in combating a disease that has existed since ancient times.
A Century-Long Battle Ends in Victory
Trachoma, a bacterial eye infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, has been documented in Egypt for over 3,000 years. Despite early public health interventions in the 20th century—including mobile and permanent eye hospitals established by ophthalmologist Arthur MacCallan—the disease continued to affect millions well into the late 20th century.
By the 1980s, trachoma remained widespread in rural Nile Delta regions, affecting more than half of all children in some areas.
SAFE Strategy Proves Effective
Egypt’s elimination drive accelerated in 2002 when the Ministry of Health and Population adopted WHO’s SAFE strategy, which includes:
- Surgery to correct trichiasis
- Antibiotics to eliminate infection
- Facial cleanliness
- Environmental improvements
Between 2015 and 2025, Egypt conducted comprehensive surveillance across all 27 governorates, confirming:
- Significant decline in trachoma among children
- No substantial burden of blinding-stage trachoma in adults
- Both indicators now meet WHO elimination thresholds
In 2024, Egypt strengthened its monitoring by integrating trachoma surveillance into the national electronic disease reporting system, ensuring faster detection and response.
Government Welcomes Global Recognition
Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Prof. Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, said the achievement reflects years of steady health-sector reforms and nationwide initiatives like Haya Karima, which have significantly improved access to clean water, sanitation facilities and primary healthcare in rural communities.
He described the milestone as “a shared victory for Egypt’s health workforce, local communities and partner organizations that worked together to wipe out a centuries-old disease.”
WHO’s Representative in Egypt, Dr. Nima Abid, added that the accomplishment strengthens Egypt’s long-standing record in eliminating infectious diseases, including polio, measles, rubella and, most recently, malaria.
Second NTD Eliminated in Egypt
With this validation, trachoma becomes the second neglected tropical disease that Egypt has eliminated, following the removal of lymphatic filariasis as a public health threat in 2018. Globally, 58 countries have now achieved elimination of at least one NTD, nine of which are located in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.
However, trachoma remains endemic in 30 countries and continues to cause blindness or vision loss in an estimated 1.9 million people. According to WHO data, nearly 103 million individuals worldwide still live in areas where the risk of trachoma transmission persists.
Global Partnerships Enabled Egypt’s Success
The elimination was achieved through extensive collaboration involving:
- WHO
- Haya Karima Foundation
- Sightsavers
- CBM
- Magrabi Foundation
- Eastern Mediterranean Trachoma Alliance
- Global Trachoma Mapping Project
- Tropical Data initiative
- International Trachoma Initiative
WHO Regional Director for EMR, Dr. Hanan Balkhy, praised the achievement, saying it “shows what persistence and collaboration can deliver,” adding that Egypt now stands as an example for other endemic nations.
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