On April 23, 2026, the World Health Organization formally validated Algeria as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. The announcement, made from WHO’s African Regional Office in Brazzaville, marks the conclusion of a fight that began more than a century ago and required the sustained commitment of generations of public health professionals, national institutions, and communities across Algeria’s vast southern provinces.
The validation makes Algeria the 10th country in WHO’s African Region and the 29th country globally to reach this milestone; trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, with the disease remaining endemic in 30 countries and responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of approximately 1.9 million people; according to current figures, 97 million people live in trachoma-endemic areas and remain at risk.
What Trachoma Is and Why Elimination Matters
Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, transmitted through contact with infected eye discharge via hands, clothing, or flies. The disease is closely linked to inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene — conditions that persist in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Central America. Repeated infections lead to scarring of the inner part of the upper eyelid, turning eyelashes inward to scratch the eyeball, a painful condition known as trachomatous trichiasis that can lead to visual impairment and irreversible blindness.
The economic consequences compound the human cost. Blindness caused by trachoma reduces household income, limits the educational participation of children — particularly girls, who are disproportionately affected due to their caregiving roles — and places sustained pressure on health systems in communities that are already resource-constrained.
Elimination, in WHO’s definition, means reducing active trachoma in children under ten to below 5% prevalence, and reducing the number of people with untreated trachomatous trichiasis to below one case per 1,000 population. Achieving those thresholds requires coordinated interventions across surgery, antibiotics, hygiene promotion, and environmental improvements — all sustained over years or decades.
How Algeria Got Here
Algeria’s fight against trachoma dates back to the early 20th century with the establishment of the Pasteur Institute of Algeria in 1909; after independence, Algerian physicians led by Professor Mohamed Aouchiche took charge of the work.
The development of a free national public healthcare system in 1974 was a turning point, providing the infrastructure for mass treatment and prevention across a country spanning nearly 2.4 million square kilometers. For decades, Algeria implemented WHO’s SAFE strategy — Surgery for advanced cases, Antibiotic mass treatment, Facial cleanliness promotion, and Environmental improvements to water and sanitation access.
A targeted three-year elimination drive from 2013 to 2015 concentrated efforts on 12 southern provinces where the disease remained a public health problem; WHO-compliant surveys conducted in 2022 confirmed that the elimination threshold for active trachoma had been achieved in all targeted areas.
In December 2025, Algeria’s Ministry of Health submitted a comprehensive dossier to WHO demonstrating compliance with all elimination criteria. The validation confirmed not just that thresholds had been met, but that Algeria’s health systems — its school health infrastructure, water and sanitation coverage, and specialized eye care network — were strong enough to prevent resurgence.
What Global Institutions Said
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the achievement as a “historic triumph that connects the past, present, and future of public health,” stating that it proves sustained political will and committed health professionals can eliminate neglected tropical diseases and build a healthier, more resilient future for all.
Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said the milestone transforms the health and well-being of children, women, and entire families, and demonstrates that eliminating neglected tropical diseases is possible with consistent and coordinated efforts.
Algeria’s achievement is also its first elimination of any neglected tropical disease, making it the 62nd country globally and the 23rd in the WHO African Region to have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease.
The Broader Continental Picture
As of April 24, 2026, at least 13 African Union member states have been WHO-validated as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem: Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Egypt, The Gambia, Ghana, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, and Togo.
That list represents a continent-wide public health mobilization that has accelerated steadily over the past decade. Africa CDC, which issued a statement welcoming Algeria’s validation, has called for further integration of trachoma elimination work into primary healthcare systems, WASH programs, and community health worker networks — arguing that the next phase of progress requires moving from fragmented disease control toward integrated, data-driven, community-owned approaches.
What Comes Next
WHO has recommended continued surveillance following the validation to ensure the disease does not re-emerge in previously endemic areas. Algeria’s health authorities are now working with WHO on a post-validation monitoring framework focused on the southern provinces where trachoma was most recently active.
The 30 countries where trachoma remains endemic are watching. Algeria’s experience demonstrates a replicable model: long-term political commitment, a functioning public health infrastructure, targeted geographic interventions in high-burden areas, and the patience to sustain the work across multiple generations of health workers and government administrations.
For the 97 million people still living in trachoma-endemic regions, Algeria’s validation is not just a national story. It is evidence that elimination is achievable — and a record of exactly how it was done.
