<\/p>\n
The achievement follows decades of sustained national intervention that transformed what was once a widespread disease. In the early to mid\u201120th century, trachoma affected at least half of Tunisia\u2019s population, particularly in poorer southern regions where access to water and sanitation was limited.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Trachoma, a bacterial infection linked to poor hygiene conditions, remains the leading infectious cause of blindness globally. Its elimination in Tunisia reflects a significant shift in both health outcomes and underlying living conditions.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Health authorities credit a comprehensive, long-term strategy built around the WHO\u2011recommended Strategies for Eliminating Avoidable Approach, which combines surgery for advanced cases, antibiotic treatment, improved hygiene practices, and environmental improvements, particularly access to clean water and sanitation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tunisia integrated eye healthcare into broader primary care services while also expanding screening programmes and treatment campaigns. Schools and local communities played a central role in promoting hygiene and early detection, helping reduce transmission over time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Health Minister Mustapha Ferjani said the milestone reflects sustained national commitment to public health and prevention, supported by the work of healthcare professionals and community-level programmes that expanded access to services across the country.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the elimination demonstrates the impact of long-term investment in primary healthcare and coordinated public health action. Eastern Mediterranean WHO Regional Director Hanan Balkhy said the success highlights what is possible when countries maintain a consistent focus on preventable diseases.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The achievement has been supported by strong health system foundations, including broad access to primary healthcare and improvements in water and sanitation infrastructure, which together helped drive down infection rates.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A post-elimination surveillance system is now in place to ensure early detection if cases re-emerge. Health authorities will continue monitoring, case management, and professional training to sustain the gains.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tunisia\u2019s progress places the country among a growing group of nations eliminating neglected tropical diseases, reinforcing broader global efforts to reduce preventable illness and improve long-term health outcomes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–WHO\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":34518,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-34517","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"Tunisia has been officially validated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, marking a major milestone in the country\u2019s long-term fight against preventable blindness.","published_date":"","news_description":"Tunisia has been officially validated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, marking a major milestone in the country\u2019s long-term fight against preventable blindness.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/34517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/34517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34519,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/34517\/revisions\/34519"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=34517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}