The cause of trachoma is Chlamydia trachomatis, but its main determinant is poverty. especially lowrnwater and latrine coverage. The trachoma global control programme strategy is S.A.F.E.: Surgery andrnAntibiotics – medical interventions; Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement – socialrninterventions. Over a ten year period, 2000-2010, the Ghana Trachoma Control Programme has reducedrnthe prevalence of trachoma from 9.7-16.1% to less than 2.8% in endemic districts. Through increasedrnwater coverage from a low 6.67% to a high 96.3%, and latrine coverage from a low 1% to a high 30.8%rnat district level as part of a comprehensive SAFE strategy, Ghana is set to achieve the elimination ofrnblinding trachoma, the first sub-Saharan country to do so. The strong collaboration between the health,rneducation and WATSAN sectors within the National Trachoma Taskforce has demonstrated how arndisease of poverty can be successfully eliminated and contributions made to the MDGs.
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