The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that Libya has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, a landmark victory for public health in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region. “Eliminating trachoma as a public health problem is an inspiring achievement for the Eastern Mediterranean Region and for communities across Libya.”With this validation, Libya becomes the 28th country worldwide and the 8th in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to eliminate trachoma. In 2017, the Ministry of Health prioritized trachoma elimination as part of national eye health work within the National Prevention of Blindness Programme. WHO continues to support endemic countries to accelerate progress towards the global goal of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem worldwide. Public health targets for the control, elimination and eradication of these conditions were set in the road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030.
