At the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) certified that India has eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem, recognizing India’s success under sustained public health efforts and surveillance.
India is now third country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to achieve this milestone after Nepal and Myanmar.
Key Highlights
- Certification Year: May 2025
- Declaration of Elimination: October 2023
- Surveillance Period: 2019–2024
- Survey Coverage: National Trichiasis Survey conducted in 200 endemic districts (2021–2024)
- Implementing Body: National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI)
About Trachoma
| Aspect | Details |
| Cause | Bacterial infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis |
| Transmission | Contact with eye/nasal secretions of infected persons; poor hygiene; flies as vectors |
| Primary Reservoir | Children are the main carriers |
| Symptoms | Redness, discharge, pain, photophobia → Trachomatous trichiasis → corneal opacity → blindness |
| Risk Factors | Overcrowding, poor sanitation, lack of water, eye-seeking flies, poor hygiene |
| Gender Impact | Women are 4x more vulnerable due to caregiving exposure |
Global Trachoma Data
- Neglected Tropical Disease: As per WHO classification
- Global Impact:
- Endemic in 38 countries
- 1.9 million people suffer visual impairment/blindness due to Trachoma
- In 2023: 130,746 surgeries performed and 32.9 million antibiotic treatments delivered globally
- Elimination Success: 21 countries have been validated by WHO, including:
- India, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran, Morocco, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, and Mauritania
India’s Elimination Journey
| Year | Milestone |
| 1950s–60s | Trachoma was a major cause of blindness |
| 1963 | Launch of National Trachoma Control Programme |
| 1971 | Trachoma-related blindness: 5% |
| 2017 | India declared free from active infective trachoma |
| 2019–2024 | Active surveillance under NPCBVI using WHO formats |
| 2021–2024 | National Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT) Survey conducted in 200 districts |
| 2023 | WHO declared India eliminated trachoma (Oct) |
| 2025 | WHO certified India at 78th WHA (May) |
WHO SAFE Strategy Implemented in India
SAFE =
- S: Surgery (for advanced trachomatous trichiasis)
- A: Antibiotics (mass drug administration to control infection)
- F: Facial hygiene
- E: Environmental improvements (sanitation, fly control, clean water)
This strategy, integrated into NPCBVI (National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment ), was crucial to India’s elimination efforts.
NPCBVI Measures
- Surveillance in all districts using WHO formats since 2019
- Collection and submission of data to WHO via a dossier
- Collaboration with WHO Country Office for validation
- Monitoring of TT-only (trichiasis) cases in 200 endemic districts