WHO validates historic public health milestone as Central America’s first trachoma-free nation
El Salvador has become the first country in Central America to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced, marking a major milestone in the global effort to end the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.
The achievement makes El Salvador only the second country in the Americas to receive WHO validation, following a rigorous multi-year assessment confirming that transmission of the disease has been interrupted and sustained public health targets have been met.
Years of Surveillance Confirm Elimination
WHO’s validation follows extensive surveillance conducted between 2023 and 2026, during which health authorities found no evidence of active trachoma transmission. Surveys detected no cases of active disease among children—the primary indicator of ongoing spread—and no adults suffering from advanced trachoma capable of causing blindness.
The validation recognizes that El Salvador has not only interrupted transmission but also established the surveillance systems necessary to prevent the disease from returning.
Preventing Avoidable Blindness
Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection that spreads through direct contact with eye and nasal discharge from infected individuals, as well as via contaminated hands, clothing and, in some settings, flies. Repeated infections over time cause scarring of the eyelid, eventually forcing the eyelashes to turn inward and scrape against the surface of the eye—a painful condition that can lead to irreversible blindness if left untreated.
The disease has long been associated with poverty, inadequate access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, making its elimination closely linked to broader sustainable development efforts.
A Model for Regional Public Health
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated the people and government of El Salvador, describing the achievement as “a testament to the power of political commitment, strategic investment, and community engagement.”
The milestone reflects years of coordinated work involving disease surveillance, access to treatment, improved hygiene practices, community outreach and strengthened primary healthcare services.
El Salvador’s success also provides momentum for other countries where trachoma remains endemic, demonstrating that sustained investment and public health partnerships can eliminate one of the world’s oldest preventable causes of blindness.
The validation represents another step toward WHO’s global goal of eliminating neglected tropical diseases, reinforcing how targeted interventions and resilient health systems can deliver lasting improvements in health, equity and quality of life.
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