Iran lauded for eradication of Trachoma

The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted a certificate to the Islamic Republic of Iran for its success in eradicating Trachoma. Stay with us to get familiar with one of the most important achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of ophthalmology.

Concurrent with the 11th Festival of Ophthalmology of Professor Mohammad Qoli Shams (The father of modern ophthalmology in Iran and the founder of Farabi Eye Hospital) on February 21, the WHO lauded Iran on eradication of trachoma with its representative Christopher Hamelmann in attendance.

Nearly 100 years ago in the world and 50 years ago in Iran, trachoma was the main cause of blindness, but over the past ten years, even a single case of this infectious disease has not been reported in Iran.

Elimination of trachoma has been one of Iran's successes over the recent decades and documents were presented to the WHO in the recent years so that the organization declared on its website on September 7, 2018 the eradication of trachoma in Iran. Then, the Islamic Republic of Iran was appreciated for the strenuous efforts made in the past decades to uproot this disease and the certificate was officially offered to Iran in a ceremony in Tehran's Farabi Hospital on February 21, 2019. Iran is among the 8 countries which have received this certificate in the world.  

Trachoma which has been registered as the oldest disease in the world is caused by a simple bacterial infection. This infection is created by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis which causes a roughening of the inner surface of the eyelid, pain in the eye, fractures of the outer surface or the cornea and ultimately leads to blindness.

Trachoma is more common in developing countries and the regions with a low level of hygienic and health care and may also emerge in warm and dry regions with dust.

Trachoma is the most common cause of infectious blindness in the world and annually about 2 million people lose their sight totally while some 8 million suffer from poor sight as a result of trachoma.

Trachoma is a contagious disease as well. Transmission of this disease is caused by direct contact and the bacteria can be transmitted through the use of common personal items such as towels, blankets or pillows. In addition, there is a fly that can nest on the face and transmit the disease. Trachoma is the most preventable infectious disease in the world. When a person is exposed to dust which creates ocular secretions, he can easily wash his eyes several times with tea to remove dust from the eye; but if the ocular secretions continue he should go to a doctor.

Treating trachoma is initially done with oral antibiotics that are sufficient to eradicate the disease, but in the later stages of disease, symptoms such as pain in the eyes and eyelid discomforts appear that are treated by surgery and, if the cornea is dark and the sight is blurred, corneal transplantation can be helpful in improving the sight. Yet, the result is not always ideal.

Trachoma was a common cause of blindness in some parts of Iran, especially in the southern regions, blinding nearly half of the villagers. For the past few decades after the Islamic Revolution, valuable measures have been taken to confront the disease, which include environmental health measures, such as the creation of infrastructure for people's access to safe water and sanitary sewage. Measures have also been taken in the field of personal hygiene and health promotion, especially for children, which has been very effective in preventing the disease, and in the field of curing, patients have been treated with antibiotics as well as surgery.

In general, due to the health improvement, blindness and poor sight caused by infectious diseases have seriously decreased. In view of this, the Health Ministry, with the help of researchers at Farabi Hospital, received the certificate of eradicating trachoma in Iran from the WHO. This is another cause of pride for the Islamic Republic system which has made eye-catching breakthroughs in many fields of science, especially medicine.

This great achievement has not been easily gained; and the Ministry of Health, alongside the Water and Sewage sector of the Energy Ministry, and other organs have all been involved in attaining of this great achievement. But the role of a very prominent Iranian physician, Professor Mohammad Qoli Shams, cannot be ignored. Let us get acquainted with this great Iranian ophthalmologist who has done valuable work in diagnosing and treating the disease.

Professor Mohammad Qoli Shams was born in 1904 In Tehran. In 1923, he continued his studies in medicine at the University of Lyon, France. After returning to Iran in 1932, he taught medicine as a professor at Dar ul-Fonun academy. He visited southern Iran as well as the areas in which trachoma was prevalent, and later he worked with the World Ophthalmology Society to eradicate trachoma in the affected regions. His method to treat this disease was electrocoagulation, which was explained in detail in an article in the 1950s. Professor Shams and his colleagues founded the Iranian Ophthalmology Society in 1947. In addition, he was the founder of Farabi Ophthalmology Hospital, which is considered the most specialized center of ophthalmology in Iran.

Another medical achievement of Dr. Shams was the cornea transplant, which he carried out for the first time in Iran at Farabi Hospital. He was the oldest member of the French Ophthalmology Society when he died, and was frequently appointed to chair various ophthalmological associations in the world. Professor Shams was engaged in curing patients and serving the people until the last days of his life and died in 1996 at the age of 92. The Iranian Ophthalmology Society is indebted to his efforts and services in the field of ophthalmology, especially in the eradication of trachoma.

In 1996-1997, the WHO announced a Global Elimination of Trachoma program, in which health organizations would work to eradicate trachoma until 2020. The disease, which has been reported since at least 1600 BC, is the third infectious disease- after smallpox and polio- to be uprooted by humans. Iran has succeeded on February 21, 2019 to attain the WHO confirmation of the trachoma eradication, and is among the eight countries to fully eradicate the disease.

At the ceremony, the WHO envoy, Mr. Christopher Hamelmann presented the eradication certificate to Iranian Deputy Health Minister. In addition, Ahmed al-Manzari, the WHO director-general of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office congratulated the elimination of trachoma in Iran on a video message. He said in his speech that the Islamic Republic of Iran, through the development of early health care, health promotion, high commitment, inter-sector cooperation, social participation, adequate investment and strengthening the health system has been one of the countries that pioneer in dealing with this health problem. It continues that all sectors contributed to the elimination of trachoma in the country, and this is a real example of reaching health for all through public participation.

FK/RM/SS