2024 Trachoma Surveillance Report
Milpa the Goanna in Titjikala (2017)
The Australian Trachoma Surveillance Report 2024 has recently been published by the Australian Government, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (28 November 2025). The report was prepared by the National Trachoma Surveillance and Reporting Unit (NTSRU) of the UNSW Kirby Institute with the National Trachoma Surveillance and Control Reference Group.
The national overall prevalence of trachoma decreased slightly from 1.8% in 2023 to 1.5% in 2024.
Australian Trachoma Surveillance Report 2024, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (pg.28)
In 2022, 2023 and 2024, the overall trachoma prevalence is below endemicity levels required for recognition by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that Australia has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Australia also meets the trachomatous trichiasis targets. A dossier documenting these achievements and in application to WHO for global recognition of this status from 2025 is currently in preparation.
With the receipt of the 2024 data, South Australia (SA) has been classified as free of endemic trachoma - no cases of active trachoma have been reported in SA since 2022. South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland no longer require active trachoma screening and in Western Australia and Northern Territory surveillance and treatment activities will continue in at-risk communities.
This is a positive report documenting ongoing national, jurisdictional, regional and local achievement towards the elimination of trachoma. The efforts of community and the community controlled sector, with the support of partners, have been key to keeping faces clean and eyes strong.