India has officially been awarded the Certificate of Elimination of Trachoma as a public health problem by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the Union Health Ministry announced on 19th May.
The ministry called it a major achievement and a reflection of India’s long-term efforts in preventive healthcare and disease control.
The World Health Organization had earlier, on October 8, 2024, confirmed that India had successfully eliminated Trachoma as a public health issue, becoming the third country in the region to do so after Nepal and Myanmar.
Trachoma is an infectious disease that can lead to blindness. It is caused by a chlamydial infection and is commonly spread through poor hygiene, contaminated water, or contact with the eye, nose, or throat secretions of infected individuals, including through flies.