04 November 2025
Fiji has been recognised for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem in a ceremony during the 76th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) regional committee for the western Pacific (20 October, Nadi, Fiji).
The event follows WHO validation that trachoma – which is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness – no longer poses a public health threat in the country.
Internationally, 26 countries have eliminated trachoma as a public health concern.
WHO director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “WHO congratulates Fiji and its network of global and local partners on reaching this milestone.”
Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO regional director for the western Pacific, highlighted that the WHO is committed to advancing health for all – so that no one is left behind.
“Fiji’s success in eliminating trachoma is a beacon of what’s possible when communities, governments, and partners unite behind a shared goal. This is a celebration of the power of Pacific leadership and the impact of sustained investment in health,” he said.
Since 2012, Fiji has undertaken population-based prevalence surveys and laboratory testing to help understand the local epidemiology of trachoma.
This has been combined with school health, water and sanitation initiatives, alongside community awareness programmes, to limit the spread of trachoma within Fiji.
Fiji minister of health, Dr Ratu Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu, described the elimination of trachoma as a “defining moment for health equity in the Pacific.”
“As we celebrate this milestone, we call on our donors and partners in the Pacific and beyond to continue supporting accelerated action of neglected tropical diseases to address other diseases not only in Fiji, but across the Pacific,” he said.
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