WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU P)!,CIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE Fifty-ninth session Manila, Philippines 22-26 September 2008
WPRlRC59INGO/11
24 September 2008
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
Agenda item 12
STATEMENT BY THE INTERN\TIONAL AGENCY FOR THE PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS (1APB) A Draft Action Plan for the Prevention of A lOidable Blindness and Visual Impairment Mr Richard Le Mesuri,r, FRCS FRCOphth IAPB Regional Chair WPR, Melbourne
I thank the Chair and the Member States for allowing me to speak briefly on the current status of Sight Preservation and Restoration. The objective of WHO's Prevention of Blindness T!am in Geneva and the IAPB Western Pacific Regional VISION 2020 Executive Network is to as~.ist Member States to effectively prevent blindness and restore sight. While the number ofp!ople blind from infection has decreased, new data show there is an increase in the number of blirJd or visually impaired people from the increase of NCDs and our ageing population. We are therefore adapting our current strategies for blindness prevention to reflect these epidemiologic trends. These plans need to be Visicn specific and outcome driven. The Australian Government, recognizing this, has committed an urprecedented $45 million to its Avoidable Blindness Initiative for the South East Asia and Paclfic areas of our region. I am also pleased to bring to the floor's attention th,! following communication from the Prevention of Blindness Team in Geneva. It invites everyone'! participation At the Sixty-first World Health Assembly held in lVay 2008, Member States requested that a draft action plan for the prevention of avoidable blindnes, and visual impairment be developed. The action plan is to be submitted to the 124th session of the Executive Board of the WHO. The action plan is designed to ope rationalize the pn:vention of blindness agenda of the WHO Medium-term Strategic Plan (2008-2013) and to set out objectives, actions and performance indicators for Member States, the Secretariat and Irternational Partners, to guide their work on the prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impair nent at national, regional and global levels. The draft action plan is now available for public reyiew and comment at the PDP link below: ::DRAFT ACTION PLAN POR PREVENTION OF AVOIDABLE BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT [pdf 131kb] (Available on the WHO website: http://www.who.intlblindness/enl)
WPRlRC59INGO/ll
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Please send your comments before 28 September 2008 to: whopbd@who.int When commenting, please refer to specific sections and pages of the document. Thank you, Mr Chair, for allowing me to bring this to tb.e attention of Honorable delegates. September 28 is not far away and many may be traveling. The plan is, however, readable, clear, succinct and only 16 pages long. Quite suitable for a quick read on the plane home without increasing the risk of a DVT! We would really appreciate your feedback to make it your Action Plan. Thank you.