What is VISION 2020: The Right to Sight?

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	Introduction What is VISION 2020: The Right to Sight?
	What is VISION 2020? VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, is a global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness. The programme is a partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), a large umbrella organization for eye-care professional groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) involved in eye-care. Aim The aim of VISION 2020 is to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020. Attainment of this aim implies the development of a sustainable comprehensive health-care system to ensure the best possible vision for all people and thereby improve quality of life. History In the mid-1970s, the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS), the World Blind Union, and a group of international NGOs formed the IAPB. In 1978, WHO established the Prevention of Blindness programme (WHO/PBL). Throughout the 1980s, a close working relationship developed between WHO/PBL and the NGOs. One outcome of this was the unique partnership between WHO, Merck and Co. Inc., and NGOs involved in onchocerciasis control, which led to collaboration with the World Bank for the development of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC). In 1994, based on the positive experience of this public-private partnership to control one specific blinding disease, WHO and the NGOs formed a joint task force to address the increasing problem of global blindness. With support from the NGOs, WHO convened consultations with experts in the field, which in 1997 resulted in the publication of The Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness. That document explains the rationale, global strategy, and targets for the VISION 2020 programme. In May 2003, the World Health Assembly unanimously passed resolution WHA 56.26, which urges Member States to commit themselves to supporting the Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness by setting up, not later than 2005, a national Vision 2020 plan, in partnership with WHO and in collaboration with nongovernmental organizations and the private sector thus giving a highly visible international impetus to the prevention of avoidable blindness. Priorities for VISION 2020: The Right to Sight The priorities for VISION 2020 are based on the facts that 75% of blindness and visual impairment occurs in the poor and very poor communities of the world, and that 75% of blindness and visual impairment is a result of five preventable or treatable conditions (cataract, refractive errors and low vision, trachoma, onchocerciasis, and a specific group of causes of childhood blindness). For each of these conditions a cost-effective intervention exists. If priority is given at the global level to improving eye-care services for neglected communities and to targeting these five diseases, it is calculated that instead of 76 million blind people in 2020, there will be 24 million. This is the prime mandate of VISION 2020. Structure The structure of the global partnership between WHO and IAPB to implement VISION 2020 is summarized in figure 1 below. Fig. 1. WHO, IAPB and VISION 2020 Programme strategy The concept of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, is built upon the foundation of community participation. The following three essential components of the VISION 2020 programme should be part of all existing and future VISION 2020 action plans: cost-effective disease control interventions human resource development (training and motivation) infrastructure development (facilities, appropriate technology/consumables, funds). This concept is schematically illustrated in figure 2. Fig. 2. The VISION 2020 concept			Documents Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness VISION 2020 - Report on World Sight 2002 WHO: What is VISION 2020: The Right to Sight? Web sites VISION 2020 Declaration of Support VISION 2020 International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) World Health Organization World Blind Union IAPB VISION 2020 Task Force Members Christian Blind Mission International (CBM) Helen Keller International IMPACT-EMRO (email only) International Centre for Eyecare Education International Federation of Opthalmological Societies (IFOS) International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) Operation Eyesight Universal ORBIS International Sight Savers International The Fred Hollows Foundation Lighthouse International World Council of Optometry Vision CRC IAPB VISION 2020 Supporting Members Agenzia Internazionale per la Prevensione della Cecita (email only) American Academy of Ophthalmology Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness (email only) Foundation Dark & Light Blind Care Lions Clubs International Foundation Organisation pour la Prévention de la Cécité (OPC) Swiss Red Cross Seva Foundation Canadian National Institute for the Blind Royal National Institute for the Blind Mirada Solidaria Foundation UK Vision Forum, UK Corporate Patron Bausch & Lomb Corporate Sponsor Carl Zeiss Meditech Corporate Donor Alcon Merck Task Force Sight & Life VISION 2020 National Bodies VISION 2020 Australia • VISION 2020 India VISION 2020 Paraguay • VISION 2020 Switzerland VISION 2020 UK • VISION 2020 Netherlands • VISION 2020 Afghanistan
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