Senegal joins the growing list of countries that eliminated tray

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed Senegal as an eliminated trahoma as a public health problem. Senegal becomes the ninth country in the African region, which has achieved this feat.

“I commend Senegal for the liberation of his population from this disease,” said Dr. Tedros Adhan Ghebreyesus, who is the general director. “This turning point is another sign of extraordinary progress that is achieved against neglected tropical diseases globally and offers hope to other countries that continue to work on trahoma removal.”

Trachoma has been known in Senegal since the early 1900s and has been confirmed as the main cause of blindness through survey in the 1980s and 1990s. Senegal joined the Who Federation for Global Trahoma Removal in 1998, conducted his first national research in 2000, and completed the full mapping of the disease until 2017. With the support of the global trahoma and tropical data map project. Trahoma control is consistently integrated into the national programming of the health of the eye, first in the National Fuling Prevention Program (PNLC) and later through the National Eye Health Program (PNPSO) – maintaining its commitment to exaltation removal.

“Today we celebrate our victory against Trachom, 21 years after the one against Dracunculiasis,” said Dr. Ibrahim Sy, Senegal's Minister of Health and Social Action. “This new turning point reminds us that our general goal remains Senegal without neglected tropical diseases. We are fully dedicated to it, and we are making good progress, especially against the human African Tripanosomiaase (sleep disease) and onchocerciasis.”

Senegal implemented a safe trahoma removal strategy with the support of a partner, reaching 2.8 million people they needed in 24 districts. These activities included the provision of surgery to treat the late blinding phase of the disease, conducting azithromycin with antibiotic mass donated by Pfizer through international trahoma initiatives, performing campaigns for public awareness to promote face purity and improve access to water supply and rehabilitation.

Trachoma is another neglected tropical disease that is eliminated in Senegal. In 2004, the country was certified without the transfer of Dracunculiasis (Guinea-Glista). Globally, Senegal joins 24 other countries that have confirmed who eliminated the trahoma as a public health problem. These are Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Gambi, Islamic Republic of Iran, the People's Democratic Republic of Lao, Gana, India, Iraq, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Marita, Morocco, Mjanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua, news, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Viet, Viet Viet, Pakua, Pakua, Pakua, Pakua. These countries are part of a wider group of 57 countries that eliminated one or more neglected tropical diseases.

Who supports Senegal's health authorities to closely monitor the communities where Trahoma has previously been endemic to ensure that there is no increase in the growth of the disease.

“Trachoma has threw a shadow over the Sengal communities for more than a century. This long-term validation is not only a turning point for public health, but also a strong tribute to the relentless dedication to health workers, communities, government leaders and partners who have never given up,” said Dr. Jean-Marie Vianny in Sennego. “Today we close a chapter that began more than a hundred years ago, united with pride, gratitude and determination. Whoever remains dedicated to supporting Senegal because the country still leads to the maintenance of this hard -earned achievement.”

The prevalence of the disease

Trachoma remains a public health problem in 32 countries, with about 103 million people living in areas who require interventions against disease. Trachoma is mostly found in the poorest and most serious areas of Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Western Pacific Ocean and the Middle East. The African region of WHO disadvantageously affects Trahoma, and 93 million people live in risk areas in April 2024, which represents 90% of the global trahoma load.

Significant progress has been achieved in the fight against Trahoma in the last few years, and the number of people who have demanded antibiotic treatment for trahoma in the African region has fallen by 96 million with 189 million in 2014 to 93 million of April 2024, which represented a 51%decrease.

There are currently 20 countries (Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Côte D'Avoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mozbuque, Niger, Nigeria Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) in WHO'S African Region That Are Known to Require Intervention for the Elimination of Trahoma. A further 3 countries in the region (Bocvana, Guinea-Bissau and Namibi) claim that they have achieved objectives of removal prevalence.

Note the editor

Trachoma is a neglected tropical disease. It is caused by a bacterial infection Clamydia trachomatiswhich spreads from a person to a person through contaminated surfaces, fomita and flies that have come in contact with the discharge from the eyes or nose infected person.

Environmental risk factors for transmitting transmission include poor hygiene, overcrowded households and inadequate access to water and sanitary means.

In order to remove trahoma as a public health problem, which recommends a safe strategy: a comprehensive approach to reduce the transmission of the causative body, to clean up existing infections and solve their effects. A safe strategy consists of surgery for the treatment of blinding complications (trahomatous trihius); Antibiotics for removal of infection, especially massive administration of antibiotic azithromycin drug (which was donated by Pfizer manufacturer to elimination programs through the International Trachoma initiative); Purity of the face; And improvement of the environment, especially the improvement of access to sanitary protection.

Road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 targets to prevent, control, remove and eradicate 20 diseases and groups of diseases by 2030. Progress against trahoma and other neglected tropical diseases alleviates the human and economic burden that impose the most striking communities in the world.