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2 Why blindness prevention needs our attention

3 The Basics - A Global Problem  161 million visually impaired  37 million blind  75% of blindness is avoidable - treatable or preventable, in a cost- effective manner  Nine in 10 blind persons live in low income countries  161 million visually impaired  37 million blind  75% of blindness is avoidable - treatable or preventable, in a cost- effective manner  Nine in 10 blind persons live in low income countries

4  Higher costs of treating and managing diseases at a late stage  Lost earnings for the visually impaired and caregivers  Lower quality of life in social, economic, health and cultural terms  Annual global impact of unaccommodated blindness and low vision at nearly $42 billion  Higher costs of treating and managing diseases at a late stage  Lost earnings for the visually impaired and caregivers  Lower quality of life in social, economic, health and cultural terms  Annual global impact of unaccommodated blindness and low vision at nearly $42 billion A Costly Problem

5 A Containable Problem  Of the 37 million blind worldwide, 17 million could be cured by a 15-minute, 50-dollar cataract operation with a 98% success rate  Blindness is not limited by age, socio- economic status or gender  Of the 37 million blind worldwide, 17 million could be cured by a 15-minute, 50-dollar cataract operation with a 98% success rate  Blindness is not limited by age, socio- economic status or gender

6 A Containable Problem  Some blinding diseases and conditions result from poor sanitation and inadequate nutrition  The leading causes of avoidable blindness are cataract, refractive error, onchocerciasis, trachoma and vitamin-A deficiency  Some blinding diseases and conditions result from poor sanitation and inadequate nutrition  The leading causes of avoidable blindness are cataract, refractive error, onchocerciasis, trachoma and vitamin-A deficiency

7  Reducing blindness is linked to improving access to educational and employment opportunities  Reducing blindness alleviates household, community and national poverty  Reducing blindness is linked to improving access to educational and employment opportunities  Reducing blindness alleviates household, community and national poverty The Imperatives

8  The right to sight is an essential component of national development and poverty alleviation  Productivity gains from reducing visual disability would amount to a saving of US$223 billion over 20 years  The right to sight is an essential component of national development and poverty alleviation  Productivity gains from reducing visual disability would amount to a saving of US$223 billion over 20 years The Imperatives

9 The Demonstrated Impact An Australian survey showed that  Vision impairment and blindness cost the country $9.85 billion in 2004 and affected nearly 500,000 Australians  Interventions over the lifetime of those impacted would lead to savings of more than $650 million in present value  Quality of life gains would accumulate to $7.7 billion over the lifetime of populations An Australian survey showed that  Vision impairment and blindness cost the country $9.85 billion in 2004 and affected nearly 500,000 Australians  Interventions over the lifetime of those impacted would lead to savings of more than $650 million in present value  Quality of life gains would accumulate to $7.7 billion over the lifetime of populations

10 The Demonstrated Impact The gains would depend on an investment of just 0.23% of the total health spend and 9.9% of the spend on vision disorders

11 The Broader Implications Blindness prevention is a step toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in terms of  Poverty eradication  Universalisation of primary education  Reducing child mortality  Combating chronic and life-threatening diseases  Improving access to employment opportunities Blindness prevention is a step toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in terms of  Poverty eradication  Universalisation of primary education  Reducing child mortality  Combating chronic and life-threatening diseases  Improving access to employment opportunities

12  Partnerships between eye care agencies, professional bodies and government institutions  Building capacity in human resources and infrastructure within the health care delivery system  Developing preventive and curative eye health services as part of general health care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels  Committing to the idea vision loss can and must be prevented through high quality, sustainable and equitable services  Partnerships between eye care agencies, professional bodies and government institutions  Building capacity in human resources and infrastructure within the health care delivery system  Developing preventive and curative eye health services as part of general health care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels  Committing to the idea vision loss can and must be prevented through high quality, sustainable and equitable services The Process

13 The Gains Thus Far VISION 2020: The Right to Sight - a productive partnership between IAPB and WHO  Significant gains in disease control  An enhanced network of training opportunities  A focus on permanent infrastructure creation  Increased awareness of blindness as an issue that has many ramifications  Successful service delivery models incorporating sustainability, excellence and equity VISION 2020: The Right to Sight - a productive partnership between IAPB and WHO  Significant gains in disease control  An enhanced network of training opportunities  A focus on permanent infrastructure creation  Increased awareness of blindness as an issue that has many ramifications  Successful service delivery models incorporating sustainability, excellence and equity

14  Acceptance from more governments to the idea that blindness prevention is crucial to human development  Greater government commitment in terms of financial and human resources  To build training programmes  To develop infrastructure  To incorporate eye care into primary health care  Acceptance from more governments to the idea that blindness prevention is crucial to human development  Greater government commitment in terms of financial and human resources  To build training programmes  To develop infrastructure  To incorporate eye care into primary health care The Gaps

15 Stepping ahead: WHA, May 2006  Vote in favour of EB draft resolution 117.R4  Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in the WHO’s medium term strategic plan for and its biennial programme budget for  Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in WHO’s 11th General Plan of Work  Vote in favour of EB draft resolution 117.R4  Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in the WHO’s medium term strategic plan for and its biennial programme budget for  Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in WHO’s 11th General Plan of Work

16  To raise the visibility of blindness prevention  To encourage the buy-in of governments  To enhance the networks already created by VISION 2020  To move beyond the recognition achieved to WHA to realise the dream of a universal Right to Sight  To raise the visibility of blindness prevention  To encourage the buy-in of governments  To enhance the networks already created by VISION 2020  To move beyond the recognition achieved to WHA to realise the dream of a universal Right to Sight Leveraging the position of WHO

17 Investing in Blindness Prevention is An investment in  life  livelihoods  learning  living An investment in  life  livelihoods  learning  living

18 Gullapalli N Rao International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness Gullapalli N Rao International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness