“We should aim at reducing visual impairment by 50 per cent by the year 2020,” said Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, who addressed more than 1550 international delegates during the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness’ 9th General Assembly (9GA) which was held in Hyderabad from September 17-20, 2012. The event brought together ophthalmologists, optometrists, public health specialists and other professionals involved in blindness prevention, from around the world. The 9GA presented new approaches and practical solutions to improving eye care.
| Dr Kalam inaugurates the IAPB’s 9th General Assembly | Lighting the lamp |
The theme for this year’s meeting was ‘Eye Health – Everyone’s Business.’ During the event, experts from around the world held symposia addressing topics such as the global blindness prevention, importance of ‘health systems’, how social entrepreneurship can be applied in a blindness prevention context and how the eye sector can move towards more effective public-private partnerships (PPP) in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility.
Delegates attended courses ranging from, cataract, refractive error, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, childhood blindness, corneal blindness and eye banking. Delegates learnt also learn of the progress being made towards the goal of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight (IAPB’s joint initiative with the World Health Organization for the elimination of avoidable blindness).
| Dr Kalam, Prof Brien Holden, and Dr Rao |
Day 1 started of with the opening ceremony which was graced by Dr Kalam, Srinath Reddy, Chairman of the now disbanded High Level Expert Group (HLEG), set up by the Planning Commission, Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Chairman, LV Prasad Eye Institute and Past President of IAPB; Prof Hugh Taylor, Chair of 9GA Scientific Committee; Sujaya Krishnan, National Blindness Control Programme; Maryanne Diamond, World Blind Union; Lord Colin Low, International Council for the Education of the Visually Impaired; Christian Garms, President of IAPB; and Professor Brien Holden, Chair of 9GA Organising Committee.
During the opening ceremony Dr Kalam released a special issue of the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. While addressing the audience during the opening ceremony, Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Chairman of the L V Prasad Eye Institute and a Past President of IAPB said, “This deputation demonstrates the on-going commitment by the Government to combat avoidable blindness. The 9GA will provide the ophthalmologists with practical skills and the latest knowledge which they will take back to their districts, enabling improvements to be implemented in existing programmes. It has the potential to ultimately facilitate thousands of people having their sight restored and blindness prevented.”
| Dr Rao addressing the audience during the Day 2 panel discussion |
Day 2 had sessions that covered issues related to health systems. Prof Don De Servigny in his session on Health System Development stressed upon the need to adopt system thinking approaches. He said, “We need to do more system thinking and adopt more system sciences to approach the Vision 2020 goal”.
Dr Daniel Etya’ale, IAPB Africa, spoke on pitfalls in bypassing national health system. The other sessions included innovative strategies to improve eye care services. Some experts pointed out that every person should have access to specialised eye care service within 50 metres proximity. Experts from Africa also presented their model programmes that have helped them spread light to the million blind people in their country.
Day 3 was a much interesting day where experts met to discuss how the private sector, government and financial institutes could come together to provide high quality services at an affordable cost.
The event concluded with the Closing Ceremony on September 20. The ‘Hyderabad Declaration on Promoting Eye Health and Eliminating Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment’ was signed by the President of IAPB, Bob McMullan, on behalf of the newly elected IAPB officers. The Declaration states that eye health must be addressed as part of primary health care and health systems.
On the occasion, McMullan, “Eye health affects every individual and the economy of every country. Avoidable blindness and vision impairment is a massive problem, but it’s a problem that we can do something about through cost effective solutions. The 9GA was about Action – developing programmes of action that make eye health a priority area in the national health agenda of every country, particularly developing countries. The Hyderabad Declaration will help IAPB to advocate the importance of eye health around the world.”