The SAFE strategy for trachoma control: poised for rapid scale-up

In 1998, all member states of the United Nations signed up for the Global Alliance for the Elimination of Blinding Trachoma by 2020 (GET 2020) through World Health Assembly resolution 51.1. This called on member states to complete the mapping of blinding trachoma in the remaining endemic areas and implement the SAFE strategy for trachoma control. Compiled data held by the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that, by 2010, as many as 1,090 districts in 36 of the estimated 57 trachoma endemic countries had been mapped. Moreover, the full SAFE strategy, including mass drug administration with oral azithromycin (Zithromax®) donated by Pfizer, was underway in 347 districts. Global progress in trachoma mapping and implementation of the integrated SAFE strategy (see panel) was reviewed by the International Task Force for Disease Eradication (ITFDE) in 2010.1 The ITFDE concluded that the elimination of blinding trachoma was achievable and that signifi cant progress had been made. However, it also noted that the pace and scale of interventions needed to be accelerated in order to reach these goals. Progress in the scale of implementation of the ‘A’ component of the SAFE strategy from 2010 to 2014 is shown in Figure 1. In 2014, 25 trachoma endemic countries have planned – and are adequately The SAFE strategy for trachoma control: poised for rapid scale-up TRACHOMA UPDATE SERIES The Trachoma Update series is kindly sponsored by the International Trachoma Initiative, www.trachoma.org