Australia Becomes 30th Country to Eliminate Trachoma, a Leading Cause of Blindness

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially confirmed that Australia has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This is a major achievement for the health of Indigenous peoples and for worldwide efforts to fight neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Trachoma, which is the top infectious cause of blindness around the globe, no longer poses a public health threat in Australia.

Australia joins a growing list of countries that have successfully gotten rid of trachoma. This helps move the world closer to the goals set in the WHO’s road map for NTDs from 2021 to 2030.

Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It spreads through close contact with infected people, touching contaminated surfaces, and through flies that come into contact with infected eye or nose discharge. If a person gets infected many times, it can scar the eyelids. This causes the eyelashes to turn inward and scrape the eye, which can lead to blindness if not treated.

“WHO congratulates Australia on this important achievement,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This success reflects sustained commitment, strong partnerships, and a focus on reaching populations most affected by health inequities. It brings us closer to a world free from the suffering caused by trachoma.”

Australia’s path to elimination

Australia’s success comes from decades of focused public health work, especially in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Trachoma remained a problem there even after it disappeared from the rest of the country.

National efforts got a big boost in 2006 with the creation of the National Trachoma Management Programme. This program used the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy. SAFE stands for: Surgery for eyelid scarring, Antibiotics to treat the infection, promoting Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvements like better water and sanitation. A key part of the program was regular screening of all communities considered at risk for trachoma. These screenings were done by trained health workers. The work was carried out through strong partnerships between federal and state governments, Aboriginal community-controlled health services, and local communities.

Over time, steady screening, treatment, and prevention efforts—including better housing, water, sanitation, and hygiene—led to a steady drop in trachoma cases. Australia adapted its approach to fit its own situation. For example, it gave targeted treatment based on data from individual communities instead of giving medicine to everyone. It also closely linked its work with environmental health programs.

“Elimination of trachoma is a win for the eye health of communities across Australia, particularly those whose lives have been impacted by a disease that is entirely preventable,” said Mark Butler, Australia’s Minister for Health and Ageing. “This major milestone is thanks to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, community commitment and sustained investment over many decades.”

“The lessons from this work will inform how we approach other preventable health conditions in remote and regional Australia,” Butler added. “Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and local health workers have been central to this success, delivering culturally safe care and community-led solutions.”

“This recognition from the World Health Organization reflects decades of work led by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, alongside local health workers in remote First Nations communities,” said Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians. “Their work has been critical to eliminating trachoma as a public health problem in Australia.”

Helping global efforts against neglected tropical diseases

Trachoma is one of 21 diseases or disease groups that WHO considers to be NTDs. Together, NTDs affect more than 1 billion people worldwide. These diseases mostly strike underserved populations that lack access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare.

Australia’s success in eliminating trachoma shows how important long-term political commitment and teamwork across different sectors are for tackling the root causes of poor health. It also proves that eliminating trachoma is possible even in places that are hard to reach geographically.

Besides trachoma, Australia has other NTDs, including Buruli ulcer, leprosy, and scabies. This is the first time WHO has confirmed that Australia has eliminated an NTD. Australia is now the 63rd country worldwide and the 16th in the Western Pacific Region to eliminate at least one NTD.

“Tackling neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region has long been a challenge for countries across the socioeconomic spectrum, given the complexities in reaching the most vulnerable communities, including in remote areas,” said Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “As a doctor from Tonga, I’ve experienced these challenges for myself. But I also know that with strategic commitment underpinned by optimal resources and partnerships in health, success is possible as other countries in our region have also demonstrated. I commend Australia on eliminating trachoma as a public health problem and urge all involved to remain vigilant to ensure this status is maintained.”

WHO continues to help countries working to eliminate trachoma and other NTDs. The goal is to make sure progress reaches those who need it most and that these gains last through strong disease tracking, integration into national health systems, and inclusion in the wider health sector.

About neglected tropical diseases and trachoma elimination

Neglected tropical diseases cause serious health, social, and economic problems. Their burden falls most heavily on poor communities in tropical areas.

Public health targets for controlling, eliminating, and eradicating these diseases were set in the WHO road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030.

In 1996, WHO launched the Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020 (GET2020). This created a network of governments, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions working to fight trachoma. WHO continues to support countries where trachoma is still a problem. The new target date for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem worldwide is 2030.

Eliminating trachoma as a public health problem means meeting these goals: (1) fewer than 0.2% of people aged 15 and older have a severe eyelid scarring condition called trachomatous trichiasis that is not known to the health system; (2) fewer than 5% of children aged 1 to 9 have a type of active trachoma infection called trachomatous inflammation–follicular in each district that used to have the disease; and (3) there is a system in place to find and treat new cases of trachomatous trichiasis.

Other countries that WHO has validated as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem include: Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Togo, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam.