Geneva/Islamabad,19 May 2025,(TW) __ Pakistan was one of the countries that received recognition for outstanding achievements in global health in 2024 – particularly for the elimination of trachoma – during the 78th World Health Assembly taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 19 to 27 May.
The World Health Organization (WHO) praised Pakistan for being one of the 11 countries that eliminated a neglected tropical disease over the past year. During the plenary session, WHO’s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus handed over the certificate of appreciation to Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, who led the Pakistani delegation participating in the annual meeting of the main decision-making body of WHO.
In October 2024, WHO validated the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Pakistan, making it the 19th country globally to reach this historic milestone.
About trachoma
Trachoma is a neglected tropical disease caused by infection with the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium and can result in irreversible blindness if left untreated. It spreads from person to person through contaminated fingers, fomites and flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.
Environmental risk factors for trachoma transmission include poor hygiene, overcrowded households, and inadequate access to water and sanitation.
To eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, WHO recommends the SAFE strategy1 , a comprehensive approach to reduce transmission of the causative organism, clear existing infections and deal with their effects.
The 2021–2030 neglected tropical disease road map targets the prevention, control elimination and eradication of 20 diseases and disease groups by 2030. Progress against trachoma and other neglected tropical diseases alleviates the human and economic burden that they impose on the world’s most disadvantaged communities.