International Trachoma Initiative

New Capabilities

As of September 2026: Distributes antibiotics for trachoma campaigns

Timor-Leste was the last country in Southeast Asia where trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness, still counted as a public health problem. On September 3, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) validated that the disease is gone, clearing the entire South-East Asia Region.

Updated Sep 7

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Coordinating antibiotic donations and technical support

For the first time since records began, fewer than 100 million people need treatment for trachoma—a bacterial eye disease that's been blinding humans since ancient Egyptian times. The number at risk has cratered 94% since 2002, from 1.5 billion to 97 million. Twenty-seven countries have eliminated it entirely, making trachoma one of the success stories celebrated at World NTD Day 2026 on January 30.

Updated May 20