WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE Sixty-third session Hanoi, Viet Nam 24–28 September 2012 Agenda item 16
WPR/RC63/NGO/7 27 September 2012 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
STATEMENT BY INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR THE PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS (IAPB) By Mr Sanjeev Commar
Madame Chairperson, Regional Director Dr Shin, Honourable Ministers, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen: My name is Lesley Podesta and I work at The Fred Hollows Foundation. I am speaking on behalf of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). IABP is the global peak body for eye health representing more than 100 non-government, research and training organizations. IAPB and WHO are partners in VISION 2010: The Right to Sight – a global initiative to prevent avoidable blindness. Zero Draft “Universal Access to Eye Health: A Global Action Plan 2014-2019 IAPB welcomes the Zero Draft “Universal Access to Eye Health: A Global Action Plan 2014-2019”. We believe that the Zero Draft is a significant improvement on the current action plan. It builds on the experience gained since VISION 2020 was established, and through the current Action Plan. The new plan must be relevant and reflect the needs of regions and the member states. IAPB would like to thank the WPR member states for their engagement and for the valuable discussion that has taken place at this meeting. We encourage you to provide feedback through the online consultation process, and to participate in the face to face consultation planned by WHO in Geneva on 8 October. The focus in the Zero Draft on integration of eye health into primary health care and health systems is welcome. This is a key to achieving sustainable scaled up results in many countries of the Western Pacific. We are pleased to see the inclusion of options for targets, and indicators to monitor progress in meeting the goal and objectives of the new action plan. These will need further work and refinement but represent a significant step forward.
WPR/RC63/NGO/7 page 2 The zero draft emphasises monitoring and works towards an enhanced data collection system. It also promotes greater integration and multisectoral action, particularly with non communicable and communicable disease frameworks. It is important to link with the work under way on neglected tropical diseases. Action is needed on water and sanitation issues. This will not only impact on preventing blindness, but also on health, well-being and development more generally. The action plan also seeks to address cataract, refractive error especially in school-aged children, as well as diabetes and its retinal complications, all conditions which continue to be major problems in the Western Pacific region. I would like to end by acknowledging the efforts and the progress being made in our region to address blinding trachoma, workforce issues, the development of social protection and health insurance systems; as well as the important role of development assistance in our region. As a committed partner with WHO in the VISION 2020 initiative, IAPB and its member organisations will continue to support efforts to end avoidable blindness and visual impairment and to improve eye health in the Western Pacific region. Thank you.