By Kazeem Akolawole
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has validated Benin and Mali as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making them the fifth and sixth countries in WHO’s African Region to achieve this significant milestone.
the organisation in a statement on its website while congratulating the health authorities of Benin and Mali and their network of global and local partners for these milestones, said the Countries that previously received WHO validation for trachoma elimination are Ghana (June 2018), Gambia (April 2021), Togo (May 2022) and Malawi (September 2022
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said “Following Benin’s and Mali’s success, trachoma remains endemic in 23 countries in WHO’s African Region, bringing us a step closer towards the elimination target for trachoma set in the road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021 to 2030.
Meanwhile, a population-based survey reported trachoma still public health significance in parts of northern Nigeria.
The report affirmed that trachoma of public health concern indeed exist in Nigeria as the prevalence of the disease is in the range 0.6%-17.6% for Trichiasis and 5%-49% for active trachoma across the trachoma belt of Nigeria.
Globally, Benin and Mali join 15 other countries that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. These are Cambodia, China, the Gambia, Ghana, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Togo and Vanuatu.
