The World Health Organization described the achievement as a result of strong political commitment, investment and community engagement. Trachoma spreads through contaminated hands or flies and is most common in poorer regions, and improved sanitation, faster diagnosis and antibiotic treatment have been key to controlling it.

Credits: Unsplash; Author: Mauricio Cuéllar;

According to the World Health Organization, the number of people at risk of trachoma worldwide has fallen by 94 percent since 2002. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said El Salvador’s success marks an important step towards the global goal of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem by 2030, demonstrating that coordinated public health efforts can reduce preventable blindness.