Egypt Eliminates Trachoma as a Public Health Issue

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Egypt has successfully eliminated trachoma as a public health problem — making it the seventh country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to reach this milestone.

Trachoma is a contagious bacterial eye infection that, if untreated, can lead to blindness. Historically present in Egypt for more than 3,000 years, the disease was once widespread across many governorates — especially among children in the Nile Delta during the 1980s.

Egypt’s elimination campaign employed the WHO-endorsed “SAFE” strategy: Surgery for trichiasis (advanced disease), Antibiotics to clear the infection, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvements to reduce transmission.

From 2015 to 2025, the Ministry of Health and Population mapped all 27 governorates, integrated trachoma surveillance into the national electronic disease-reporting system, and saw case rates fall below WHO’s elimination thresholds.