Trachoma eradicated in Fiji, WHO confirms
Photo credit: WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially validated Fiji for eradicating trachoma, a significant public health threat to the country, making it the 26th country to achieve this recognition.
Trachoma, a leading cause of blindness globally, is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through direct contact, contaminated surfaces, or flies exposed to infected eye or nose discharge. Repeated infections can result in scarring and blindness, particularly in areas with poor sanitation and limited access to clean water.
Once widespread in Fiji during the 1930s and 1950s, trachoma cases sharply declined by the 1980s but reemerged in the early 2000s. This prompted the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to launch a comprehensive control program combining epidemiological studies, school health initiatives, and water and sanitation projects.
WHO affirmed that the elimination of trachoma demonstrated years of coordinated work across local and regional levels and called for continued regional cooperation to combat other neglected diseases.
According to WHO, more than one billion people globally are affected by neglected tropical diseases, which mostly impact impoverished communities. Thirteen countries in the Western Pacific Region have now eliminated at least one such disease, with six others, namely, Cambodia, China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Viet Nam, also having eliminated trachoma.
Category: Community
