Timor-Leste eliminates trachoma as a public health problem

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially confirmed on September 3, 2026, that Timor-Leste has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This achievement makes the nation the 33rd country globally and the fourth in the WHO Southeast Asia Region to receive such validation.

Timor-Leste was the last country in the Southeast Asian region where trachoma was identified or suspected to be a public health issue. The elimination was achieved through epidemiological research, surveillance, active case searching, and strengthening the healthcare system's capacity to detect and treat cases, rather than solely through mass medication and surgery campaigns.

Trachoma is an infectious eye disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. If left untreated through repeated infections, it can lead to progressive eye lesions, trichiasis, and eventually permanent visual impairment or blindness.