Senegal eliminates trachoma as a public health problem
Senegal has been validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. It is the 25th country globally and 9th country in the WHO African Region to achieve this milestone.
Trachoma was first reported in Senegal in 1915. Initial interventions were provided through the Organization for Coordination and Cooperation in the Fight Against Major Endemic Diseases (l'Organisation de Coordination et de Coopération pour la lutte contre les Grandes Endémies (OCCGE), which operated from 1960 to 1998. Through the OCCGE, surgery was offered to people with trachomatous trichiasis (TT), the blinding stage of trachoma, and tetracycline-based eye ointment was distributed to manage active (inflammatory) trachoma.
Senegal conducted its first epidemiological surveys on trachoma in 2000 using standardized WHO protocols. Findings indicated that trachoma was a public health problem in a considerable proportion of the country, and that approximately 95,000 people required TT management. These results led to the establishment of the country’s first national trachoma program, the development of a national strategic plan, and the implementation of the WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy for trachoma elimination.
To improve access to eye care in remote areas, Senegal’s Ministere de la Sante et de l’Action Sociale took significant steps to expand routine TT surgical services. Notably, head nurses and other non-specialist healthcare workers were trained to safely and effectively perform TT surgeries. The ministry also organized surgical outreach campaigns, encouraging strong community engagement to raise awareness and improve uptake. This approach led to substantial progress, with the number of people receiving TT surgery annually increasing from 505 in 2000 to 2,045 in 2006.
In 2005, Senegal began implementing antibiotic mass drug administration (MDA) of azithromycin, donated by Pfizer Inc. through the International Trachoma Initiative. From 2012 to 2017, MDA efforts were scaled up with support from Sightsavers, RTI International, and WHO. These efforts covered 19 trachoma-endemic districts, with community health workers distributing antibiotics using a door-to-door delivery approach.
To improve program efficiency, Senegal implemented several integrated initiatives. For example, in 2011, an integrated baseline survey in Diourbel covered trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. The country also developed standardized data collection tools and conducted joint training sessions for MDA personnel, including community health workers, drug distributors, and supervisors.
Since 2019, data from TT surgery campaigns have been collected and analyzed using the TT Tracker, an electronic tool developed under the Accelerate trachoma elimination program funded by Sightsavers. Initial data are gathered via physical forms (screening registers, case lists, and patient files), then digitized. The TT Tracker supports follow-up planning and enables quality audits of TT surgeries.
Recognizing the importance of facial cleanliness and environmental improvement in trachoma elimination, Senegal’s Ministere de la Sante et de l’Action Sociale collaborated with multiple stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation. This enabled hygiene messages to be promoted in schools, as well as through a wide network of community health actors, including traditional healers, community leaders, teachers, and Quranic masters. Additionally, community actors utilized a range of methods, including home visits, community dialogues, awareness caravans, social mobilization, and advocacy, to promote the importance of hygiene in reducing trachoma transmission. Interactive radio programs further engaged listeners on trachoma prevention, and animation groups performed skits and role-plays, especially targeting women and children.
The elimination of trachoma as a public health problem demonstrates the impact of strong political will and leadership, cross-sectoral collaboration, and comprehensive implementation of the SAFE strategy. ICTC congratulates the Government of Senegal and all partners involved.
Trachoma is targeted for global elimination as a public health problem through the global road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030, endorsed by WHO Member States in November 2020. Since 2002, the number of people at risk of trachoma has reduced by 93%, from 1.5 billion to 103 million in 2024. Following a trachoma funding gap analysis completed in 2025, ICTC estimates that between $268–334 million is needed to fill existing funding gaps in support of the 2030 target.
Other countries validated by WHO as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem are: Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Ghana, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam.
The elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Senegal was supported by several ICTC members and observers, including: FHI 360, RTI International, Sightsavers, International Trachoma Initiative, Pfizer Inc., Tropical Data and WHO.