India Awarded WHO Certificate for Eliminating Trachoma

On 20th May 2025, at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the WHO awarded India the Certificate of Elimination of Trachoma as a Public Health Problem, recognizing its efforts in disease elimination and preventive healthcare.

Key Points

Recognition by WHO: India became the third country in the Southeast Asia region to eliminate Trachoma as a public health problem.
National Programme Efforts: Achieved under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) through sustained surveillance and targeted interventions.
Surveillance Mechanism: Since 2019, case reporting from all districts has followed a specific WHO-shared format.
Trachomatous Trichiasis Survey: Conducted in 200 endemic districts between 2021–24, fulfilling a key WHO requirement for certification.
Health Milestone: This achievement highlights India’s commitment to universal health coverage and disease elimination.