Eye disease trachoma eliminated in Vietnam

The Fred Hollows Foundation has welcomed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) validation that Vietnam has eliminated the eye disease trachoma as a public health problem.

With the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), RTI International, the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), the International Trachoma Initiative and UNICEF, The Foundation has helped drive the final push to eliminating the disease in Vietnam. 

National government agencies the Ministry of Health, Department of Medical Service Administration, and Department of Preventative Medicine also played key leadership roles to support the Viet Nam National Eye Hospital’s elimination programs.

Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness. The disease thrives in areas with limited access to water and sanitation.

The infection is easily spread through personal contact and by flies that have been in contact with people’s eyes or noses. It disproportionately affects mothers and children, severely affecting their economic productivity and education outcomes. 
 
The Fred Hollows Foundation CEO Ian Wishart congratulated the Vietnam government and partners for working collectively to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. 
 
“This is a milestone achievement that was only possible because of the close cooperation and collaboration from local through to international partners,” he said.

The Foundation’s Vietnam Country Manager Dr Phuc Huynh Tan acknowledged the long-term commitment of people at all levels of the health system to achieve the historic result.

“In the 1990s, trachoma was one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in Vietnam.

“In Vietnam’s far north, dedicated doctors, nurses and commune health staff made challenging journeys through mountainous areas to look for signs of trachoma infection among people living in remote communities.

“Despite these obstacles – and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic – health workers, government agencies and funding partners have made a lasting impact on people’s quality of life and wellbeing,” he said.

Vietnam’s validation follows the WHO confirmation that both Pakistan and India had eliminated trachoma as a public health concern.