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Despite progress in Egypt, trachoma remains a public health challenge in 30 countries
Geneva, Switzerland | THE INDEPENDENT | Egypt has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced, marking a historic milestone for the country and the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). It is the seventh country in the region to achieve this status and the 27th globally.
Trachoma, caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness. It is spread through contact with infected eye secretions and thrives in communities with limited access to clean water and sanitation. Blindness from the disease is irreversible, affecting nearly two million people worldwide, with 103 million still at risk in endemic areas.
“I congratulate Egypt for reaching this milestone and liberating its people from trachoma,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “This demonstrates the effectiveness of sustained national leadership, strong surveillance, and community engagement in ending a disease that has afflicted humanity since antiquity.”
A long-fought battle
Trachoma has been documented in Egypt for more than 3,000 years. In the early 20th century, pioneering ophthalmologist Arthur Ferguson MacCallan established mobile and permanent eye hospitals, laying the foundations for trachoma control worldwide. Yet by the 1980s, the disease still affected half of children in some Nile Delta communities and blinded thousands of adults.
Since 2002, Egypt’s Ministry of Health, together with WHO and international partners, has implemented the SAFE strategy – Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement. Nationwide mapping and surveillance between 2015 and 2025 showed steady reductions in children affected by active trachoma, with no significant burden of blinding complications in adults. In 2024, trachoma monitoring was integrated into Egypt’s national electronic disease reporting system.
Egypt’s achievement is seen as a triumph of collaboration. WHO worked closely with the Ministry of Health, while technical and financial support came from organisations including the Haya Karima Foundation, Sightsavers, CBM, the International Trachoma Initiative, and others.
“Together, we have proven that with collaboration and persistence, elimination is achievable,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “Egypt exemplifies what determination can accomplish.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Professor Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said the milestone reflected Egypt’s broader efforts to expand access to safe water, sanitation, and primary care in rural communities. Trachoma is the second neglected tropical disease Egypt has eliminated, following lymphatic filariasis in 2018.
Global context
Despite progress in Egypt, trachoma remains a public health challenge in 30 countries. WHO continues to support endemic countries to reach elimination thresholds, highlighting the need for sustained investment in clean water, sanitation, and primary health care.
Egypt’s success demonstrates the impact of long-term political commitment, coordinated action, and community engagement, offering a model for other countries in the region and beyond.
