The World Health Organization officially recognized the Republic of Fiji as having eliminated trachoma as a pressing public health problem. The infection became the first neglected tropical disease (NTD) to be eradicated in the country, making Fiji the 26th country to eliminate trachoma and the 58th to eliminate at least one NTD. Thanks to modern diagnostic and treatment methods, the previously high incidence of trachoma in Fiji began to decline significantly by the 1980s. In the 2000s, it began to rise again among children, and in 2012, a national program to detect and treat the disease was launched, ultimately leading to its eradication.
Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which is transmitted by contact and flies. This disease affects the conjunctiva of the eye and, without prompt treatment, completely impairs its transparency due to scarring. It remains the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Mauritania and Papua New Guinea were previously declared trachoma-free.
