Humanity is eliminating trachoma

Humanity is eliminating trachoma — one country at a time.

As of 17 July, 32 countries had been validated by the World Health Organization as eliminating it as a public-health problem. That matters because trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.

The bacterial infection spreads through contaminated hands, clothing, surfaces and flies. Repeated infections can scar the eyelid, turning eyelashes inward until they painfully scrape the eye and damage sight.

The solution is WHO’s SAFE strategy: surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, and better water and sanitation. In 2025, nearly 99,000 people received corrective surgery and 47.4 million were treated with antibiotics.

WHO has made a positive impact elsewhere too. Between 2010 and 2024, new HIV infections fell 40% thanks to the promotion of effective treatment, while the number needing interventions for neglected tropical diseases dropped 36% due to better water infrastructure provisions like filters. Also, since 2015, 961 million more people have gained safely managed drinking water.

Yet trachoma remains a public-health problem in 29 countries and has impaired the sight of 1.9 million people. WHO’s target is elimination by 2030. Let’s help manifest it.

Do you believe humanity can finish the job by 2030? Comment below.