The recently launched National Survey of Blindness and Vision Impairment showed that avoidable blindness has been more than halved in the last decade for the people over age of 50 across the country.
The survey while appreciating the government for its efforts in reducing the prevalence of blindness from 7 percent in 2004 to 2 percent in 2022 underlined that the ground-breaking achievement comes as a result of years concerted efforts to address the inequalities and challenges of eye care, supported by Sightsavers and other organisations, Munazza Gillani, Country Director Pakistan at Sightsavers said in a news release.
He said the efforts included improving access and quality of eye care services, particularly for marginalised groups and people with disabilities, and enhancing eye health infrastructure, service delivery, and human resources.
“Sightsavers is calling on government, organisations, donors, and communities to ensure eye health continues to be prioritised. Prevalence of blindness in Pakistan has reduced, but the number of people in need of eye care could still spiral due to population growth, ageing, urbanisation, and lifestyle changes. The recent devastating floods will also have an impact, increasing the potential for eye infections and disrupting health services infrastructure,” said Munazza Gillani, Country Director Pakistan at Sightsavers.
She added that the eye health crisis was a global problem, not just a regional one, and it was estimated that, without concerted action, the number of people who were blind across the world could triple by 2050. “Good eye health has a ripple effect on society, improving education, well being, economics, and health outcomes. The Pakistan government and other organisations have shown commitment to reducing the burden of vision impairment, but we cannot afford to be complacent and must continue to build on recent successes.”
“The eye health crisis is not inevitable. We can stop it if we come together to act now. By increasing the attention to the eye care, recognising how integral it is to every facet of life, and focusing on gender and disability inclusion, we will reduce inequality and help achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.”
Munazza continued that the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals mention leaving no one behind, but there were still many people in that position. “If we are to tackle the eye health burden in Pakistan, continued cross-sector collaboration, well-resourced interventions, funding, and commitments are needed to integrate inclusive eye health into wider health, education, employment, and development systems.”
