Another Trachoma-Free Success Story

The Pacific Island country of Papua New Guinea has officially eliminated trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, as a public health problem through robust disease surveillance.

“I congratulate the government and people of Papua New Guinea on this incredible achievement,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “This success demonstrates what can be achieved when science and sustained partnerships come together to serve the health and dignity of communities.”

The neglected tropical disease (NTD) trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through personal contact, causing scarring, in-turning eyelids, and irreversible blindness. It remains endemic in vulnerable communities with limited access to clean water and sanitation. Papua New Guinea’s National Department of Health oversaw a series of rapid assessments, prevalence surveys, and community-level investigations, making trachoma the first neglected tropical disease eliminated in the southwestern country. WHO officially announced Papua New Guinea’s achievement during the 78^th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland. Globally, 56 countries have eliminated at least one NTD, including 22 others that have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.