The World Health Organisation has declared that India has eliminated trachoma as a public health issue. Here is all you need to know about the bacterial eye infection.
India has been felicitated to have successfully eliminated trachoma, a major cause of blindness, as public health concern. India joins Nepal and Myanmar in the WHO South-East Asia Region and 19 other countries globally that have previously achieved this feat.“India’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem is a testimony to the country’s commitment to alleviating the suffering that millions have faced from this debilitating disease,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO has worked closely with India to realize this achievement, and we congratulate the government, health workers and partners who have collaborated to make it possible.”
Excellent news: #India has eliminated #trachoma, a debilitating disease which previously afflicted millions in 🇮🇳.
Congratulations to health workers, communities, the government and partners who collaborated to make it possible. #RC77 @narendramodi https://t.co/DjgYI9boA2 pic.twitter.com/8UTr2flz24
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) October 8, 2024
What is trachoma?
Trachoma, a leading cause of infectious blindness, is a chlamydial infection that happens due to lack of hygiene and unclean water supply and can spread by contact with the eye, nose or throat secretions of a person suffering from the disease or indirectly via flies.
Risk factors and causes of trachoma:
- Poor hygiene
- Overcrowded households
- Inadequate access to water
- Poor sanitation
Trachoma symptoms
- Redness in eyes
- Swollen eyelids
- Blurred vision
- Frequent water discharge
WHO recommends a SAFE strategy to combat trachoma.
- Surgery to treat the blinding stage (trachomatous trichiasis)-
- Antibiotics to clear the infection, particularly mass drug administration of the antibiotic azithromycin, which is donated by the manufacturer, Pfizer, to elimination programmes, through the International Trachoma Initiative
- Facial cleanliness
- Environmental improvement, particularly improving access to water and sanitation.
When detected at early stage, it may be treated with antibiotics. At advanced stage, one may require a surgery or a corneal surgery as well.