Senegal becomes ninth African country to eliminate trachoma

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday it has validated Senegal as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, becoming the ninth country in WHO’s African Region to have achieved this feat.

“This milestone is yet another sign of the remarkable progress being made against neglected tropical diseases globally, and offers hope to other countries still working to eliminate trachoma," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
Trachoma is a neglected tropical disease.

It is caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which spreads from person to person through contaminated surfaces, fomites and flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.

The disease has been known in Senegal since the early 1900s and was confirmed as a major cause of blindness through surveys in the 1980s and 1990s.

The West African nation joined the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma in 1998.

It conducted its first national survey in 2000, and completed full disease mapping by 2017 with support from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project and Tropical Data.

A statement by WHO said trachoma control was consistently integrated into Senegal's national eye health programmes, first under the National Program for Blindness Prevention (PNLC) and later through the National Program for the Promotion of Eye Health (PNPSO) – maintaining its commitment to trachoma elimination.

“Today we celebrate our victory against trachoma, 21 years after the one against dracunculiasis,” said Dr Ibrahima Sy, Senegal’s Minister of Health and Social Action.

“This new milestone reminds us that our overarching goal remains a Senegal free from neglected tropical diseases. We are fully committed to this, and we are making good progress, notably against human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and onchocerciasis."

Trachoma is the second neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in Senegal after the country was certified free of dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease) transmission in 2004.

Globally, it joins 24 other countries that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.

These are Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ghana, India, Iraq, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

These countries are part of a wider of group of 57 countries that have eliminated one or more neglected tropical diseases.

'We close a chapter'

WHO said it is supporting Senegal’s health authorities to closely monitor communities in which trachoma was previously endemic to ensure there is no resurgence of the disease.

“Trachoma has cast a shadow over communities in Senegal for more than a century. This long-awaited validation is not only a milestone for public health, but a powerful tribute to the tireless dedication of frontline health workers, communities, government leaders, and partners who never gave up,” said Dr Jean-Marie Vianny Yameogo, WHO Representative in Senegal.

“Today, we close a chapter that began over a hundred years ago, united with pride, gratitude and resolve. WHO remains committed to supporting Senegal as the country continues to lead in sustaining this hard-earned achievement.”

Meanwhile, WHO says trachoma remains a public health problem in 32 countries, with an estimated 103 million people living in areas requiring interventions against the disease.

The disease is found mainly in the poorest and most rural areas of Africa, Central and South America, Asia, the Western Pacific and the Middle East.

WHO’s African Region is disproportionately affected by trachoma, with 93 million people living in at-risk areas in April 2024, representing 90% of the global trachoma burden.

According to the UN health agency, significant progress has been made in the fight against trachoma over the past few years.

The number of people requiring antibiotic treatment for trachoma in the African Region fell by 96 million from 189 million in 2014 to 93 million as of April 2024, representing a 51% reduction.

Uganda is one of the currently 20 countries in WHO’s African Region that are known to require intervention for trachoma elimination.

A further three countries in the Region (Botswana, Guinea-Bissau and Namibia) claim to have achieved the prevalence targets for elimination.