Trachoma has been eliminated as a public health problem in Benin and Mali, as validated by the World Health Organization.
They join a growing list of countries to have banished the disease, following Ghana in 2018, The Gambia in 2021 and Malawi in 2022.
The milestone follows many years of hard work led by national governments in each country, with support from Sightsavers and other international partners.
Sightsavers CEO Dr Caroline Harper said: “This is a momentous day. The elimination of trachoma in Benin and Mali is a huge achievement for the countries, and for all those people who have worked so hard to make this possible. I would also like to recognise those who generously funded the work in these countries.
“Globally, while significant progress has been made, funding is urgently needed to ensure we can continue working to eliminate trachoma in other countries. This is essential to keep thousands of people from suffering the completely preventable pain and loss of vision this disease can cause. We know that with the right investment, we can see the elimination of trachoma as a global public health problem in our lifetime.”
