Burundi Achieves Historic Milestone: Eliminating Trachoma as a Public Health Problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Burundi’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, representing a groundbreaking achievement in global eye health.
Key Highlights:
- Strategic Implementation Success: Burundi implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy across 12 health districts, reaching 2.5 million people who needed interventions, showcasing the effectiveness of systematic, population-level eye health programming.
- Collaborative Partnership Model: The elimination program was supported by CBM, the END Fund, Geneva Global and WHO, with azithromycin (Zithromax, Pfizer, New York NY, USA) donated by the International Trachoma Initiative, demonstrating how multi-sector partnerships can deliver transformative eye health outcomes.
- Data-Driven Approach: Following integrated mapping in 2007 and baseline surveys in 2009-2010 that confirmed trachoma endemicity, Burundi launched targeted interventions, highlighting the critical importance of surveillance and evidence-based planning in eye health programs.
- Sustained Monitoring Framework: WHO continues to support the country’s health authorities to monitor communities where trachoma was previously endemic to ensure no disease resurgence, establishing a model for long-term eye health system strengthening.
As 93 million people across Africa still live in trachoma-endemic areas, Burundi’s success story provides both inspiration and a proven roadmap for the 20 African countries still working toward elimination. This achievement reinforces that universal eye health is not just an aspiration—it is an achievable reality when we commit to leaving no one behind.
