Papua New Guinea Achieves First NTD Elimination with Trachoma Eradication Success
In a groundbreaking achievement, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for successfully eliminating trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, as a public health threat. Announced at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 19, 2025, this milestone highlights PNG’s commitment to public health and the power of targeted disease surveillance and global partnerships.
Key Highlights:
- Robust Surveillance Key to Success: PNG’s elimination strategy relied on rapid assessments, prevalence surveys, and community-level investigations, confirming low levels of Chlamydia trachomatis and minimal progression to severe disease, avoiding the need for community-level interventions.
- Unique Epidemiological Pattern: Surveys from 2015 and 2020 revealed that trachoma in PNG, similar to other Melanesian countries, did not require extensive surgery or antibiotic campaigns due to its low prevalence and severity.
- Strong Partnerships: The National Department of Health, supported by WHO, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Fred Hollows Foundation, the Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sightsavers, PNG Eye Care, and others, drove the program’s success through technical and financial collaboration.
- Scientific Collaborations: Research institutions including the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, the Global Trachoma Mapping Project, Collaborative Vision, Tropical Data, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine provided essential scientific expertise and analytical support that underpinned the elimination strategy.
- Regional and Global Impact: PNG’s achievement adds to the Western Pacific Region’s progress, where 13 countries have eliminated at least one a neglected tropical disease (NTD) since 2016 and makes it the 23rd country globally to eliminate trachoma, contributing to the WHO’s NTD road map 2021–2030 goals and marking its first NTD elimination.
Papua New Guinea’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem underscores the power of dedicated surveillance and partnerships in safeguarding eye health, ensuring brighter futures for communities by preventing blindness caused by this infectious disease.
