39.1.3  How common is trachoma in Ethiopia?

Trachoma is a very common disease in developing countries, including Ethiopia – particularly in dry rural areas. About 80 million people in the world suffer from trachoma, of whom about eight million have become visually impaired. There are currently more than 238,000 people with blindness due to trachoma in Ethiopia. Trachoma is very common among children in certain parts of the country; for example, more than 50% of Ethiopian schoolchildren have had trachoma infections at some time. Without proper treatment, many of them will suffer severe eye problems in later life.