Nepal becomes the first country in Southeast Asia to eliminate Trachoma

Trachoma was the second leading cause of preventable blindness in Nepal in the 1980s. The World Health Organization (WHO) on May 21, 2018, declared Nepal as free from Trachoma. It is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.

Nepal’s fight against Trachoma

- In 2002, the Nepal Government augmented its efforts to eliminate the disease by launching the National Trachoma Programme.
- With this program implementation, the prevalence of active trachoma fell by 40% from 2002 to 2005.
- In between 2002 and 2014, in many hospitals, clinic, and eye care center appointed the well and trained staff.
- In order to increase awareness, the National Trachoma Programme collaborated with the Nepalese Ministry of Education to include a module on trachoma in the school curriculum.