IAPB’s Strategic Engagement with WHO Europe: Advancing Eye Health Across the Region

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) continues to build a strong, collaborative relationship with WHO Europe, working to ensure eye health is central to public health agendas across the region. This engagement includes contributions to key WHO events and initiatives, such as the recent World Sight Day 2024 celebrations and the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC74), underscoring IAPB’s commitment to fostering sustainable health systems that prioritise vision care in the European region. 

World Sight Day 2024: A Successful Partnership 

IAPB’s support for WHO Europe’s World Sight Day 2024 activities highlighted the power of collaborative advocacy, especially around this year’s theme focused on children and youth. From October 7–11, the WHO European Regional Office hosted interactive vision activities for around 200 children, designed to educate and inspire awareness about eye health. Educational materials, including posters and videos with impactful stories, further engaged participants and reinforced key eye health messages. 

The weeklong celebration, held in the lobby of UN City, also raised awareness among the building’s 2,000+ employees, expanding the reach of this vision care message. As part of its support, IAPB provided resources, including ‘Love Your Eyes’ packs and the Friends of Vision photo exhibition, which drew visibility to the importance of eye health. This unified approach rallied key stakeholders and the public alike, emphasising that vision health is foundational to well-being and economic productivity and setting a positive tone for IAPB’s engagement at RC74. 

Advocating for Eye Health at RC74 

At RC74, held from October 29–31, 2024, IAPB submitted a written statement urging WHO Europe to prioritise eye health within its Framework for Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems in the WHO European Region 2025–2030. IAPB’s statement emphasised eye health as essential to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and reducing health disparities across Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe and other subregions with high rates of vision loss. These advocacy efforts aim to ensure that health systems are inclusive and resilient, equipping them to address current and future health challenges. 

IAPB’s statement offered three key recommendations to strengthen eye health’s role within this framework: 

1. Integration into Primary Health Care: Including eye health services in primary care ensures continuity of care and resilience, especially during emergencies. 
2. Dedicated Funding: Secure funding for eye health will support sustainable, equitable eye care services across Europe. 
3. Enhanced Data Collection: By investing in comprehensive data systems, WHO Europe can facilitate evidence-based policy and planning, which is essential for addressing vision health disparities. 

The full statement can be accessed here. 

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Collaboration with WHO Europe 

Moving forward, IAPB will continue to nurture this relationship, with plans for a high-level roundtable and networking event in early 2025. These upcoming engagements are designed to build on current momentum, ensuring eye health is recognised as a critical component of resilient health systems and is prioritised in regional policies. Through this, IAPB and WHO Europe are taking significant strides toward a future where eye health is universally accessible and integrated within robust health systems across the region.