Blinding Trachoma: Progress Towards Global Elimination by 2020

Blinding Trachoma: Progress Towards Global Elimination by 2020

April 10, 2006

    GENEVA, April 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Several
countries are on track to eliminate the infectious eye
disease, blinding trachoma, the World Health Organization
(WHO) announced today.  This progress results from efforts
to achieve the global goal set by the World Health Assembly
in 1998 to eliminate this disabling disease by the year
2020. 

    (Logo: 
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040610/CNTH001LOGO )

    The estimated number of people affected by trachoma has
fallen from 360 million people in 1985 to approximately 80
million people today.  This is the result of a concerted
effort by the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of
Blinding Trachoma (GET 2020) combined with socioeconomic
development in endemic countries.  Trachoma affects the
poorest and most remote rural areas of 56 countries in
Africa, Asia, Central and South America, Australia and the
Middle East.  

    At today's 10th meeting of GET 2020, held at WHO
Headquarters in Geneva, the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Mexico, Morocco and Oman have reported successfully
implementing their national strategies of interventions
necessary for eliminating trachoma, based on the
WHO-recommended SAFE strategy.  The WHO SAFE strategy
emphasizes comprehensive public health action and stands
for lid surgery (S), antibiotics to treat the infection
(A), facial cleanliness (F); and environmental changes (E).
 If implemented comprehensively, the SAFE strategy could
prevent virtually all cases of blindness.  

    "This is very encouraging progress," said Dr
LEE Jong-wook, WHO Director-General.  "If countries
continue at this rate, the global goal to eliminate
blinding trachoma as a public health problem by 2020 can be
achieved."

    WHO is currently developing the specific
epidemiological assessment criteria to determine when
countries have fully eliminated blinding trachoma.  The
criteria are expected to be finalized by the end of 2006,
at which time WHO will be able to evaluate the
effectiveness of national strategies and provide
country-by-country certification that the disease has been
eliminated. 

    Blinding trachoma

    Trachoma originates from an eye infection that is
spread from person to person, is frequently passed from
child to child and from child to mother within the family,
especially in environmental conditions of water shortages,
flies, and crowded households.  Through the discharge from
an infected person's eyes, trachoma is passed on by hands,
on clothing, or by flies that land on the person's face. 
Infections often begin during infancy or childhood and
become chronic.  If left untreated, these infections
eventually cause the eyelid to turn inward which in turn
causes the eye lashes to rub on the eyeball, resulting in
intense pain and scarring of the front of the eye.  This
ultimately leads to irreversible blindness, typically
beginning between ages 30-40 and often resulting in
deepening poverty for individuals and their families. 
Women are blinded two to three times more often than men,
probably due to their close contact with affected
children.

    The alliance for the global elimination of blinding
trachoma

    Launched under WHO's leadership in 1997, the Alliance
for the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma by the Year
2020 (GET2020) is a partnership formed to support country
implementation of the SAFE strategy. The Alliance is led by
WHO and is open to members from all sectors -- public,
nongovernmental and commercial willing to work with
governments to implement the SAFE strategy.  Alliance
members include WHO, national governments, nongovernmental
organizations research institutions, foundations, and the
pharmaceutical industry.  

    Pzifer International Inc and its Foundation have been
key partners in the fight against trachoma.  It has already
donated 37 million doses of azithromycin and has committed
to provide 100 million additional doses by 2008. 
Azithromycin is a long-acting antibiotic used as one
component of the SAFE strategy. 

    For more information or if media would like to cover
the meeting, please contact: 

     Ms Alexandra Munro,
     Communications Officer
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Dr Silvio P. Mariotti, 
     Medical Officer
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone] 
     Email:  [e-mail]

    Related links
     More information on trachoma:   
     
http://www.who.int/blindness/causes/priority/en/index2.html
     More information on GET2020: 
     
http://www.who.int/blindness/causes/trachoma/en/index.html

SOURCE  World Health Organization