India Unveils World Report on Vision

India, on the occasion of World Sight Day 2021, unveiled the World Report on Vision. The report was jointly unveiled by IAPB, VISION 2020 India, National Program for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI) and WHO South East Asia on 14 October 2021 in a meeting held online. The largest private sector body in India, All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS), also took part in the event.

After the opening remarks by the President, VISION 2020 India, Dr Patanjali Dev Nayar from WHO SEARO presented the recommendations of WRV, followed by Dr Rohit Khanna, IAPB SEA Regional Chair, presenting India’s roadmap to achieve Integrated People Centred Eye care. Prof. (Dr.) Rajiv Garg, Professor of Excellence, Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, endorsed the recommendations of WRV and announced NPCB&VI’s commitment to implement them. WHO, SEARO also reinforced its commitment to take the recommendations forward in the region specially in India with the support of all stakeholders.

Dr Phanindra Babu Nukella, CEO, VISION 2020 India said, “this provided a great opportunity for coordination and collaboration with very important stakeholders like AIOS and NPCB&VI. This further helps in strengthening the eye care momentum in the country”.

Dr Rohit C Khanna, IAPB SEA Regional Chair said ‘We can achieve our goals of Universal Eye Health only when we make eye care an integral part of health care and practice and provide comprehensive eye care i.e. prevention and promotion, treatment and rehabilitation’

AIOS executive committee (President, Hon. Gen Secretary, Elect President), its members, VISION 2020 India member institutions and other individual stakeholders participated in the launch of the report.