The 9{+t}{+h}General Assembly of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) which concluded here on Thursday has called for integrating eye health into primary health care and health systems.
Hyderabad Declaration
The Hyderabad Declaration which was adopted at the end of the four-day meet also urged governments and international organisations to prioritise and increase investment in eye health and blindness prevention as part of their health and development budgets.
It sought the creation of an ‘Inclusive International Development Framework’ to address blindness and visual impairment adequately.
It said investments in eye health structures, human resources and initiatives were imperative to achieve access to eye health for all.
Investment
Observing that investment in eye health and blindness prevention yields economic, health and social benefits, the Declaration, among others, called for support to WHO Global Action Plan For Blindness Prevention 2014-2019 to accelerate the progress for meeting goals of VISION 2020.
Recognition of rights
It also urged the United Nations, governments, international organisations and regional entities to ensure that there was a clear recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2015 development agenda and in any new goals, targets and indicators.
The new president of IAPB, Robert McMullan, assured the delegates that the agency would strive to ensure that eye health and disability get proper recognition.
“We have to ensure that our priority is reflected in global priority”, the new president added.
Better facilities
Keshav Desiraju, additional secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stressed the need for addressing the problem of inadequate human resources in eye health area and improving the facilities at primary health care level.
‘Eye Health Heroes’
Later awards were presented to ‘Eye Health Heroes’ from across the globe.
They included V. Rajashekhar, India-Assistant Director and Head of the Village Vision Complex, LVPEI, Dr. Shiva Prasad Sahoo, founder director and ophthalmologist of Trilochan Netralaya Eye, Sambalpur and Aravind Instruments Maintenance Department, Madurai.
Talking to reporters, Dr.Gullapalli N. Rao, chairman L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), said the model developed by LVPEI from primary to tertiary care had been adopted by WHO, Australian and Indian governments.
The 9{+t}{+h}General Assembly of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) concludes
