Cheap Fix Wiped Out a Leading Cause of Blindness in One Country — Why Can’t the Rest of the World Do It?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially validated Tunisia as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, a bacterial infection that can lead to irreversible blindness if left untreated [1]. This achievement caps decades of sustained national effort, making Tunisia the latest country to defeat the disease [1]. However, the milestone comes as the WHO warns that global progress on major health issues is slowing down, with inequalities between rich and poor countries widening and endangering development goals set for 2030 [2]. The UN agency reports that setbacks in universal health coverage, malaria control, and maternal health are making it harder for millions to access basic medical care, threatening to reverse years of hard-won health improvements [2].