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Welcome to INSIGHT
This month, the global eye health community is focusing on major
milestones, strengthening political commitments and generating new
evidence to drive action on vision loss worldwide. Across all regions,
momentum continues to build towards the first-ever Global Summit for
Eye Health.
This edition highlights significant progress, from Brazil’s
landmark Senate hearing to growing government engagement at VISION
2020 India and Europe's Advocacy to Action roundtables.
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South East Asia Region
On 7 August, the IAPB team, together with representatives from the
WHO Country Office in Nepal, Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh (NNJS) and the
Eye Care Foundation, met with Nepal’s Honourable Minister of Health to
brief her on the Global Summit for Eye Health.
During the meeting, the Minister received an official invitation to
attend the Summit from the Honourable Minister of Health of Antigua
and Barbuda. Discussions focused on the importance of Nepal’s
participation in the Summit and the role the country can play
advancing the global eye health agenda.
The Minister’s positive response and commitment to supporting the
Summit were encouraging and the team is now engaging with the
Ministry's High-Level Committee on Eye Health to progress next
steps.
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VISION 2020 India
conference
The 20th Annual VISION 2020 India Conference in Bengaluru brought
together eye health leaders nationwide. IAPB contributed with a
keynote speech from Peter Holland, IAPB CEO, a dedicated session on
commitments for the Global Summit for Eye Health and participation in
a range of other discussions and sessions to help build stronger
partnerships.
Read
more.
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TAKE ON THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE IN YOUR REGION
The Global Challenge calls on IAPB
members, partners, and the eye health sector to coordinate eye health
screenings for World Sight Day across the regions.
Participants are encouraged to download #LoveYourEyes campaign
materials and organise an eye health screening
event between 1 July and 8 October.
This year we want you to conduct
eye health screenings in your region at one of three
locations:
- A school or youth club
- A workplace
- A place where our leaders gather and policy decisions are
made
Take action in your community and help
raise awareness for eye health, advocating for accessible, available
and affordable eye care for everyone, everywhere.
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Latin America Region
Peter
Holland, CEO of the IAPB, met
Paraguay’s Minister of Health,
Dr. María Teresa Barán
as he extended a formal invitation to the Global
Summit for Eye Health. The meeting followed preliminary
findings from the country’s 3rd
Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB), which found a 2.1%
prevalence of blindness among people aged over 50. Cataract
remains the leading cause, while diabetes is linked to
more severe vision
loss.
At the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) 7th
Regional Trachoma Meeting, El Salvador’s validation of trachoma
elimination marked a major milestone, bringing the Americas closer to
becoming the first
region to eliminate
the disease. Discussions
focused on integrating
eye health into trachoma
programmes. Paraguay’s leadership
on eye health was
also recognised through an
invitation for Dr. Barán,
Minister of Health, to speak
at the Summit.
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Brazil's Senate Hearing: Building Political Will Ahead of
the Summit
A landmark Senate hearing in July united government, indigenous
leaders, civil society, health professionals and international
partners to address avoidable vision loss, strengthen access to care,
and advance long-term policy solutions, including plans for a
permanent advisory body within the Ministry of Health.
Read
more.
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Orbis Vietnam Flying Eye Hospital
Arriving in Da Nang on its MD-10 aircraft, Orbis's Flying Eye
Hospital marks 30 years of partnership in Viet Nam, highlighting the
power of locally led efforts to strengthen eye care.
Read
more.
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Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) 35th
Anniversary
Bringing together 2,600+ delegates from nearly 50 countries, the
SNEC event highlighted partnership, prevention and stronger health
systems as key to advancing eye health and securing sustained
investment.
Read more.
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Discover data studies in your region using the Vision Atlas search
tools, filtered by IAPB region and cause. Vision Atlas continues to serve
as a trusted platform for the global eye health community, helping to inform advocacy, planning, policy development, and decision-making.
From new RAAB surveys in Africa to the elimination of trachoma in Myanmar, Vision Atlas serves as a
hub for up-to-date information and data across the eye health sector.
Stay
informed on the latest news and explore the Vision Atlas.
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Europe Region
In July the Advocacy to Action: Europe 2026 roundtables in
Brussels brought together policymakers, advocates and people with
lived experience to build support for stronger action on childhood
myopia and cataract.
The discussions were attended by two Spanish Members of the
European Parliament including Leire Pajín who hosted the myopia
session, and Idoia Mendia Cueva who hosted the cataract discussion.
The sessions identified key regional priorities, and by
connecting eye health to broader issues such as education, healthy
ageing and workforce participation, the initiative is helping to shape
Europe’s contribution to the Global Summit for Eye Health and build
momentum for meaningful policy action.
The Advocacy to Action: Europe 2026 series will continue on
September 1 and 2 in Brussels, with two more
roundtables focussing on rare eye diseases and diabetic eye
conditions.
Read
more.
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Africa Region
Africa is continuing to drive progress
towards the Global Summit for Eye Health. In July, Nigeria was
announced as a co-host for the Summit, injecting powerful political
momentum and recognising the nation's leadership on eye
health.
The Africa regional team is leading
engagement with IAPB members, National Eye Health Coordinators,
Ministries of Health and key stakeholders to support countries in
developing ambitious, nationally owned commitments for the Summit
aligned with their eye health priorities.
Read
more.
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Together with
WHO AFRO, the IAPB Africa team convened a regional webinar bringing
together National Eye Care Coordinators and partners. This meeting
aimed to strengthen countries’ capacity to develop ambitious,
credible, and government-endorsed commitments for the Global
Summit for Eye Health. |
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Join Us
At IAPB, we bring together a powerful
network of nearly 300 organisations across more
than 100 countries -
including NGO's, hospitals, research institutes, professional bodies,
and business.
For almost a
century, IAPB has united this diverse community
to work collaboratively toward ending avoidable
sight loss.
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Q3 IAPB Knowledge Membership Call
Join in to hear the latest updates on Vision Atlas, member
engagement groups and new knowledge resources shaping global eye
health. The session offers members an opportunity to connect, exchange
insights and stay engaged with IAPB's knowledge agenda.
Click here to sign up
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