News in Shorts: 22 May 2025

PWOnlyIAS

May 22, 2025

News in Shorts: 22 May 2025

Trachoma Elimination

Context: India has been awarded the Certificate of Elimination of Trachoma as a Public Health Problem by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

About Trachoma

  • Trachoma is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
    • Blindness from trachoma is irreversible.
  • Transmission: Spreads through personal contact (hands, clothes, bedding, or contaminated surfaces).
    • Flies that have touched the eye or nasal discharge of an infected person can also spread the infection.
  • Disease Progression: Repeated infections over the years can cause the eyelashes to turn inward (a condition called trichiasis).
    • This leads to pain and can result in permanent corneal damage and blindness.

India and Trachoma

  • On October 8th, 2023, WHO officially declared that India had eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem.
  • India became the third country in the WHO Southeast Asia region to achieve this milestone.
  • Role of NPCBVI: The National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) played a key role through prevention, early detection, and treatment of trachoma.

Efforts Of World Health Organisation (WHO) For Trachoma Elimination

  • SAFE Strategy, 1993: WHO launched the SAFE strategy – Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, Environmental improvement to combat trachoma.
  • The Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD): Trachoma is classified as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) by the World Health Organization (WHO).
    • It is targeted for elimination or control under the NTD Roadmap 2021–2030.

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Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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