The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially validated El Salvador as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the first country in Central America and the second in the Americas to achieve this milestone. Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness and is closely linked to poverty, poor sanitation, and limited access to healthcare.
The recognition follows a rigorous multi-year evaluation that confirmed trachoma is no longer a public health concern in the country. Between 2023 and 2026, El Salvador carried out targeted assessments in communities identified as being at higher environmental and social risk. The surveys found no evidence of active trachoma transmission, no infections among children, and no advanced cases capable of causing blindness in adults.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the achievement, describing it as a testament to strong political commitment, strategic investment, and community engagement. He noted that El Salvador’s success represents significant progress toward the global goal of eliminating trachoma worldwide by 2030.
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), highlighted that the validation reflects El Salvador’s commitment to reaching vulnerable populations and generating strong evidence demonstrating that trachoma is no longer endemic. He emphasized that sustained efforts to identify potential cases and strengthen health services played a key role in the achievement.
El Salvador’s success was supported through a multisectoral approach that strengthened primary healthcare, expanded access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, improved eye health care, and promoted collaboration among government agencies, local communities, and international partners. The country has also established surveillance systems, trained healthcare personnel, and integrated mechanisms to detect and manage any future cases of trichiasis, the advanced stage of trachoma that can lead to blindness.
Minister of Health Dr. Francisco Alabi described the WHO validation as a major public health milestone achieved through sustained national efforts with support from PAHO and the Government of Canada. He noted that the country reached this goal within just three years, improving eye health outcomes and strengthening its regional leadership in disease elimination.
PAHO supported the elimination process through its Initiative for the Elimination of Trachoma in the Americas, implemented in partnership with the Government of Canada. The programme also expanded access to integrated healthcare services in the communities where assessments were conducted.
Although trachoma has been eliminated as a public health problem in El Salvador, the disease remains endemic in parts of Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Peru. WHO recommends that countries maintaining elimination continue surveillance and ensure ongoing access to quality eye care services to prevent the disease from re-emerging.
Trachoma is one of more than 30 communicable diseases targeted under PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative, which aims to eliminate these diseases across the Americas by 2030. With this latest achievement, El Salvador joins 64 countries worldwide that have successfully eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease recognized by WHO.
