The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially eliminated trachoma as a public health problem
October 21st, 2024, was an important day for Vietnam’s public health, as the country reached a historic milestone. On this day, the WHO officially validated the eradication of trachoma as one of the main causes of blindness in the Vietnamese population, underscoring Vietnam’s constant commitment to combating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
In honour of this success, the WHO presented a commemorative plaque to Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister for Health, at the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines.
Vietnam’s journey toward eliminating trachoma began over 70 years ago. Significant advances were made in 1999, when Vietnam’s Minister for Health launched a national program, WHO’s SAFE strategy – Surgery, Antibiotics, Face cleanliness, and Environmental improvement.
Over the last 30 years, with the support of local and international partners, Vietnam’s initiative reduced trachoma prevalence from 1.7% to less than 0.2%, meeting the WHO’s threshold for official elimination.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Vietnam’s efforts, as the country became the fifth nation in the Western Pacific Region to eliminate trachoma. This result shows the importance of a constant commitment to tackling NDTs.
Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, called Vietnam’s success “a shining example of how targeted interventions, strong partnerships, and sustained effort can bring about real change in the health of populations.”
Beyond being a healthcare success, the elimination of trachoma also reduced the social and economic impacts connected to the illness, contributing to protecting the quality of life of many people.
Thanks to its success, Vietnam has become a model for other countries to look up to, showing the value of partnership, community engagement, and global support in promoting public health.
The elimination of trachoma in Vietnam marks an important milestone in public health protection and highlights how specific interventions can have a real impact on the lives of people.
The challenge for the near future is to keep up the good results and invest in preventive care so that every country can eradicate debilitating diseases.
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