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Why blindness prevention Why blindness prevention needs our attentionneeds our attention

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The Basics - A Global ProblemThe Basics - A Global Problem 161 million visually impaired161 million visually impaired 37 million blind37 million blind 75% of blindness is avoidable -75% of blindness is avoidable -

treatable or preventable, in a cost-treatable or preventable, in a cost-effective mannereffective manner

Nine in 10 blind persons live in low Nine in 10 blind persons live in low income countriesincome countries

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Higher costs of treating and managing Higher costs of treating and managing diseases at a late stagediseases at a late stage

Lost earnings for the visually impaired and Lost earnings for the visually impaired and caregiverscaregivers

Lower quality of life in social, economic, Lower quality of life in social, economic, health and cultural termshealth and cultural terms

Annual global impact of unaccommodated Annual global impact of unaccommodated blindness and low vision at nearly $42 billionblindness and low vision at nearly $42 billion

A Costly ProblemA Costly Problem

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A Containable ProblemA Containable Problem

Of the 37 million blind worldwide, 17 Of the 37 million blind worldwide, 17 million could be cured by a 15-minute, million could be cured by a 15-minute, 50-dollar cataract operation with a 98% 50-dollar cataract operation with a 98% success ratesuccess rate

Blindness is not limited by age, socio-Blindness is not limited by age, socio-economic status or gendereconomic status or gender

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A Containable ProblemA Containable Problem Some blinding diseases and Some blinding diseases and

conditions result from poor conditions result from poor sanitation and inadequate nutritionsanitation and inadequate nutrition

The leading causes of avoidable The leading causes of avoidable blindness are cataract, refractive blindness are cataract, refractive error, onchocerciasis, trachoma and error, onchocerciasis, trachoma and vitamin-A deficiencyvitamin-A deficiency

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Reducing blindness is linked to Reducing blindness is linked to improving access to educational and improving access to educational and employment opportunitiesemployment opportunities

Reducing blindness alleviates household, Reducing blindness alleviates household, community and national povertycommunity and national poverty

The ImperativesThe Imperatives

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The right to sight is an essential The right to sight is an essential component of national development component of national development and poverty alleviationand poverty alleviation

Productivity gains from reducing Productivity gains from reducing visual disability would amount to a visual disability would amount to a saving of US$223 billion over 20 yearssaving of US$223 billion over 20 years

The ImperativesThe Imperatives

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The Demonstrated ImpactThe Demonstrated ImpactAn Australian survey showed thatAn Australian survey showed that Vision impairment and blindness cost the country Vision impairment and blindness cost the country

$9.85 billion in 2004 and affected nearly 500,000 $9.85 billion in 2004 and affected nearly 500,000 AustraliansAustralians

Interventions over the lifetime of those impacted Interventions over the lifetime of those impacted would lead to savings of more than $650 million in would lead to savings of more than $650 million in present valuepresent value

Quality of life gains would accumulate to $7.7 Quality of life gains would accumulate to $7.7 billion over the lifetime of populationsbillion over the lifetime of populations

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The Demonstrated ImpactThe Demonstrated Impact

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

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The Broader ImplicationsThe Broader ImplicationsBlindness prevention is a step toward achieving the Blindness prevention is a step toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in Millennium Development Goals, particularly in terms ofterms of Poverty eradicationPoverty eradication Universalisation of primary educationUniversalisation of primary education Reducing child mortalityReducing child mortality Combating chronic and life-threatening Combating chronic and life-threatening

diseasesdiseases Improving access to employment opportunitiesImproving access to employment opportunities

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Partnerships between eye care agencies, professional Partnerships between eye care agencies, professional bodies and government institutionsbodies and government institutions

Building capacity in human resources and Building capacity in human resources and infrastructure within the health care delivery systeminfrastructure within the health care delivery system

Developing preventive and curative eye health Developing preventive and curative eye health services as part of general health care at primary, services as part of general health care at primary, secondary and tertiary levelssecondary and tertiary levels

Committing to the idea vision loss can and must be Committing to the idea vision loss can and must be prevented through high quality, sustainable and prevented through high quality, sustainable and equitable services equitable services

The ProcessThe Process

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The Gains Thus FarThe Gains Thus FarVISION 2020: The Right to Sight - a productive VISION 2020: The Right to Sight - a productive partnership between IAPB and WHOpartnership between IAPB and WHO Significant gains in disease controlSignificant gains in disease control An enhanced network of training opportunitiesAn enhanced network of training opportunities A focus on permanent infrastructure creationA focus on permanent infrastructure creation Increased awareness of blindness as an issue that Increased awareness of blindness as an issue that

has many ramificationshas many ramifications Successful service delivery models incorporating Successful service delivery models incorporating

sustainability, excellence and equitysustainability, excellence and equity

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Acceptance from more governments to Acceptance from more governments to the idea that blindness prevention is the idea that blindness prevention is crucial to human developmentcrucial to human development

Greater government commitment in Greater government commitment in terms of financial and human resources terms of financial and human resources To build training programmesTo build training programmes To develop infrastructureTo develop infrastructure To incorporate eye care into primary To incorporate eye care into primary

health carehealth care

The GapsThe Gaps

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Stepping ahead: WHA, May 2006Stepping ahead: WHA, May 2006

Vote in favour of EB draft resolution 117.R4Vote in favour of EB draft resolution 117.R4 Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in the Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in the

WHO’s medium term strategic plan for 2008-2013 WHO’s medium term strategic plan for 2008-2013 and its biennial programme budget for 2008-2009and its biennial programme budget for 2008-2009

Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in WHO’s 11th General Plan of WorkWHO’s 11th General Plan of Work

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To raise the visibility of blindness To raise the visibility of blindness prevention prevention

To encourage the buy-in of governmentsTo encourage the buy-in of governments To enhance the networks already created To enhance the networks already created

by VISION 2020by VISION 2020 To move beyond the recognition To move beyond the recognition

achieved to WHA 56.26 to realise the achieved to WHA 56.26 to realise the dream of a universal Right to Sightdream of a universal Right to Sight

Leveraging the position of WHOLeveraging the position of WHO

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Investing in Blindness Investing in Blindness Prevention isPrevention isAn investment in An investment in life life livelihoodslivelihoods learninglearning livingliving

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Gullapalli N RaoGullapalli N RaoInternational Agency for the International Agency for the

Prevention of BlindnessPrevention of Blindness