Mauritania and Papua New Guinea have officially eliminated trachoma, the world’s leading cause of infectious blindness, as a public health problem.
The announcement was made during the World Health Assembly (WHA78) in Geneva, where 11 countries were recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD) since the start of 2024.
This milestone brings to 23 the total number of countries globally that have eliminated trachoma, and 56 that have eliminated at least one NTD. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the current momentum as a “golden age of disease elimination.”
NTDs are a group of parasitic, viral, fungal, and bacterial infections that affect over one billion people globally, mostly in poor and underserved communities. Africa remains the most affected region, particularly in rural areas with limited access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare services. Uganda is one of the countries still battling several NTDs, including trachoma, river blindness, schistosomiasis, and lymphatic filariasis.
Mauritania’s success in eliminating trachoma is credited to its national adaptation of WHO’s SAFE strategy—which stands for Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvements—as well as multi-sectoral government collaboration and strong community health worker engagement.
Papua New Guinea, which eliminated an NTD for the first time, was recognised for its remarkable efforts in combatting trachoma despite numerous health system challenges.
Speaking at the WHA78 ceremony, Dr. Isatou Touray, Interim Executive Director at Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases, said:“The elimination of trachoma in Mauritania and Papua New Guinea brings renewed hope to other endemic countries, especially across Africa. It shows what is possible with political commitment, government leadership, and coordinated action. These victories remind us that NTD elimination is not just aspirational—it is achievable and within reach.”
Despite global progress, Uganda and many African nations continue to face obstacles in eliminating NTDs, particularly in the face of shrinking official development assistance (ODA). NTD programmes in sub-Saharan Africa rely heavily on external funding, which is becoming increasingly uncertain.
During the WHA, world leaders called for innovative and sustainable financing solutions to maintain the momentum toward the WHO’s 2030 NTD Roadmap goals, which aim for the global elimination of at least one NTD in 100 countries and the eradication of two.
Eliminating NTDs has ripple effects beyond health. NTD interventions are known to alleviate poverty, improve school attendance, advance gender equality, and reduce long-standing inequities in affected communities.
