By Ayomide Otitoju
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially validated El Salvador as having eliminated trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, as a public health problem.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, congratulated the country, describing the achievement as a reflection of strong political commitment, strategic investment, and community participation.
He said the milestone marks significant progress towards the global target of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem worldwide by 2030.
The validation followed a rigorous multi-year assessment to determine whether trachoma remained a public health concern in El Salvador and to confirm the country’s ability to detect and respond to any future cases.
According to the WHO, targeted surveys conducted between 2023 and 2026 found no evidence of active trachoma transmission, with no infections detected among children and no advanced disease capable of causing blindness identified in adults.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said the achievement reflects El Salvador’s sustained efforts to reach vulnerable communities, strengthen disease surveillance, and ensure access to essential healthcare services.
El Salvador’s Minister of Health, Francisco Alabi, described the certification as a major public health milestone, noting that the country achieved the feat within three years through collaboration with PAHO and the Government of Canada.
The country’s success was attributed to strengthened primary healthcare services, improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), expanded eye care services, and coordinated efforts involving government agencies, local communities, and international partners.
Health authorities also established surveillance systems and trained healthcare workers to detect and manage any future cases of trachoma, helping to prevent the disease from re-emerging.
Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Repeated infections can cause the eyelids to scar, forcing the eyelashes to turn inward and potentially leading to irreversible blindness if left untreated.
Although the disease has been eliminated as a public health problem in El Salvador, it remains endemic in parts of Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala and Peru, particularly in remote and underserved communities.
El Salvador becomes the first country in Central America and the second in the Americas to achieve WHO validation for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. The country also joins 64 nations worldwide that have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease.
