TRIPOLI, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday that Libya has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, marking a significant public health achievement in the eastern Mediterranean region.
In a statement, the organization said that Libya has become the 28th worldwide and the eighth in the eastern Mediterranean region to achieve this milestone.
In 2022, surveys in six southern districts found the prevalence of active trachoma and trichiasis below the WHO elimination thresholds, except for trichiasis in Wadi Al Hayaa/Ghat, where a surgical campaign was launched to treat remaining cases. A further survey in 2025 confirmed that the prevalence of trichiasis had also fallen below the threshold.
The WHO said that Libya reached the milestone despite years of political instability and humanitarian challenges that affected health services, led to population displacement, and increased pressure on water and sanitation services.
The country's national trachoma elimination program integrated surveillance, expanded surgery services, and built health worker capacity with local and international partners, it added.
Trachoma is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. It spreads through contact with eye discharge from infected individuals via hands, clothing, or flies. Repeated infections can lead to scarring of the inner eyelid and inward turning of the eyelashes, known as trichiasis, a painful condition that may result in blindness if left untreated.
Trachoma, documented in Libya for over a century, saw high infection rates in the south during the 20th century. Control efforts began in the 1970s-80s, and later led to a significant decline in transmission. ■
