India Achieves WHO-Approved Elimination of Trachoma, Ending a Leading Cause of Blindness

WHO announced India has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, ending a disease that caused preventable blindness in many rural communities.

Trachoma had been a leading cause of blindness in India, but sustained mass drug administration and facial cleanliness campaigns reduced prevalence below the threshold defined by WHO.

India now meets WHO criteria for elimination, a milestone that frees resources for other health priorities and signals success of national public health programs.

The elimination reduces the burden of blindness, improves quality of life, and aligns with India's commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 on health.

Health officials say the success was achieved through coordinated efforts between government agencies, NGOs, and community health workers who distributed antibiotics and promoted eye hygiene.

The WHO definition of elimination requires prevalence of trachomatous inflammation–follicular below 5% in children aged 1–9 years, a target India has surpassed.