Papua New Guinea eliminates Trachoma

In a landmark public health achievement, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.

There wont be the need for the painful flipping of the eyelid in PNG which is great news.

Papua New Guinea eliminates trachoma as a public health problem

Read the full story here:

https://www.who.int/news/item/19-05-2025-papua-new-guinea-eliminates-trachoma-as-a-public-health-problem

Let's hope Australia is very close behind.

Some facts re Trachoma:

• Hyperendemic in many of the poorest and most rural areas of Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

• As of 21 October 2024, 21 countries have been validated by WHO as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.  Benin, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ghana, India, Iraq, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Vanuatu and Vietnam plus PNG makes it 22 countries. 

• Public health problem in 38 countries and responsible for the blindness/visual impairment of about 1.9 million people.

• In 2023, 130,746 people received surgical treatment for advanced stages of the disease, and 32.9 million people were treated with antibiotics. Global antibiotic coverage in 2023 was 29%.