In a significant health milestone, Viet Nam has successfully eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness globally. This remarkable achievement was validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a plaque was presented to the Vice Minister of Health of Viet Nam, Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, during the seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, which opened today in Manila.
“Elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Viet Nam is a monumental achievement for the country and for the global fight against the disease,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This milestone is a testament to the unwavering dedication of Viet Nam’s health workers, including many working at community level. It underscores the power of collective action, innovative thinking and a shared commitment to a healthier future for all. I commend Viet Nam for its dedication and success in safeguarding.
Decades of concerted efforts
Over the past 70 years, Viet Nam has worked tirelessly to combat trachoma, treating hundreds of thousands of people and implementing rigorous control measures. These efforts were significantly strengthened with the implementation of WHO’s SAFE strategy, which stands for surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness and environmental improvement.
Past surveys indicated that trachoma was a public health problem in four provinces in Viet Nam. Thirty years ago, 1.7% of people living in these high-risk provinces required surgery to prevent blindness from trachoma. However, by 2023 the proportion of adults with the blinding form of the disease had fallen below 0.2%, which is the threshold required for WHO validation of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. Continuous monitoring and the focused implementation of the SAFE strategy in the country, starting in 1999, have been instrumental in this decline.
Trachoma elimination in Viet Nam was made possible through collaboration among several government agencies including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with the support of WHO and international health partners including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Fred Hollows Foundation, the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), RTI International, UNICEF and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Viet Nam was one of the first group of countries to receive Pfizer-donated azithromycin for trachoma elimination purposes through ITI, a donation that has been critical to global progress against trachoma.
“The elimination of trachoma in Viet Nam demonstrates the commitment of the Government, health workers and communities across the country,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, praising the achievement. “It is a shining example of how targeted interventions, strong partnerships and sustained effort can bring about real change in the health of populations.”
In 2018, Viet Nam eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. The country has also made tremendous progress on combating malaria, which is now only found in pockets of areas and is close to being eliminated.
Viet Nam’s success is part of broader progress in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in the WHO Western Pacific Region and globally. Of the 21 conditions forming the NTDs, 13 are targeted by the WHO road map 2021–2030 for eradication, elimination of transmission or elimination as a public health problem. As of today, 54 countries have eliminated at least one NTD, globally. Viet Nam is the seventh country to be acknowledged by WHO for eliminating one NTD in the course of 2024, together with Brazil, Chad, India, Jordan, Pakistan and Timor-Leste.
WHO says it, continues to support countries to eliminate trachoma and other NTDs as part of the global effort to improve health and well-being for all.
The disease
Trachoma is a devastating eye disease caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The infection 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 facilities.
Repeated infections in childhood lead to scarring of the inner side of the upper eyelids, resulting in inward turning of the eyelid margin, with the eyelashes touching the eyeball. This is a painful condition known as trachomatous trichiasis – if left untreated, it can result in visual impairment and blindness.
To eliminate trachoma, WHO recommends the SAFE strategy to achieve elimination of trachoma as a public health problem.
Globally, Viet Nam joins 20 other countries that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. These are Benin, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Ghana, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Togo and Vanuatu.
