Rates of Trachoma in Australia

The Australian Trachoma Surveillance Report for 2023, compiled by the Kirby Institute, reported that the rates of trachoma in kids aged 5–9-years in ‘at-risk’ communities showed a further reduction to 1.8% for Australia nationally - the best result to date.

NT has risen slightly to 2.3% up from 2.1% in 2022

• Alice Springs Remote ­ = 6.6% increased from 4.7% in 2022  

• Barkly Region reduced to 1.6%  from 4.9% in 2022

• Katherine reduced to 3.5% from 4.2% in 2022

WA reduced to 1.6% from 3.1% in 2022

• Goldfields results saw a decrease to 5.7% from 8.6% in 2022

• Pilbara had a great result reducing to 1.1% down from 4.0% in 2022

• Kimberley continued to improve reducing to 0.7% from 1.6% in 2022

• Midwest remained at 0%

SA remains at 0.0%

• 91% of children aged 5-9 years were screened for trachoma. Same for 2022.

• 7% (5 out of 67) of all communities screened had hyperendemic trachoma. This was the lowest recorded since 2014. Hyperendemic trachoma is where the presence of trachoma is over 20%.

• 10 out of 12 regions with ‘at-risk’ communities recorded an overall presence of trachoma below 5%.

The figures over the years and by state:

	AUSTRALIA	NT	SA	WA
2008	1.8%	22.5%	2.0%	15.5%
2016	4.5%	6.0%	2.5%	4.5%
2022	2.2%	2.1%	0.0%	3.1%
2023	1.8%	2.3%	0.0%	1.6%

​SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Trachoma program coverage

•         88 remote Indigenous communities are designated as ‘at-risk’ of trachoma.

Of these:

o   49% are in NT (43 communities)

o   39% are in WA (34 communities)

o   13% are in SA (11 communities)

•         The number of trachoma ‘at-risk’ communities in Australia has steadily declined in all jurisdictions. Between 2010 and 2023, the number fell by:

o   49% in NT    (84 in 2010 to 43 in 2023)

o   60% in WA  (86 in 2010 to 34 in 2023)

o   85% in SA    (72 in 2010 to 11 in 2023)

Facial cleanliness

·         The overall prevalence of clean faces in children screened in 2023 was 74%.

o   NT = 74%     Ranging from Katherine region 38% to Barkly region 84%.

o   WA = 70%   Ranging from Goldfields region 49% to Midwest region 88%.

o   SA = 85%     Ranging from Apy Lands 74%, Eyre and Western region 75% to Far North region 100%.

Other relevant information:

• $72.4 million committed by the Australian Government (2009 – 2024/25) towards eliminating trachoma as a public health problem through the continuation, enhancement and development of trachoma control, health promotion and environmental improvement initiatives in jurisdictions with endemic trachoma.

• Environmental health improvement programs are jurisdictionally specific, although typically involve some combination of the following: routine home assessments and maintenance, procurement and distribution of home health hardware and related supplies, workforce development and policy advice.

• Overall trachoma prevalence in all current and formerly endemic jurisdictions remains below the threshold of 5% - the threshold specified by the World Health Organisation for the elimination as a public health problem.

• Trachoma in Australia occurs primarily in remote and very remote Indigenous communities in the NT, SA and WA. In 2008, cases were also found in NSW and QLD, where trachoma was thought to have been eliminated. NSW and QLD were declared non-endemic in 2017 and 2022 respectively. People with trichiasis are present in all jurisdictions.

• At least one case of trachoma was reported among children aged 5-9 years in 28% (19/67) of communities screened in 2023. Both the absolute number and proportion of screened communities reporting any trachoma has been declining since 2020, when trachoma was reported in 68% (65/96) of communities screened. A similar pattern of decline has been seen in screened communities reporting endemic levels of trachoma (≥5%), notably in the NT and WA. However, a small number of communities screened in 2023 (7% or 5/67) continue to report hyperendemic trachoma (over 20% prevalence).

EndTrachoma/Rotary Australia is a member of the ‘Central Australia Environmental Health Working Group’ based in Central Australia and Barkly, with coordination provided by IEHU. The group aims to support environmental improvements in remote communities to eliminate trachoma, including through identifying local needs, community awareness-raising, supporting referral relationships. Other members include the NT Health, NT Department of Education, NT Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities, AMSANT and its local affiliate members, Outback Stores, Health Habitat, Fred Hollows Foundation, and regional councils.