IAPB unites with leading medicines company to strengthen eye health in Africa

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) has joined together with Novartis, a leading medicines company in a partnership to strengthen eye health in Sub-Saharan  Africa. The new 3-year relationship will support effective policy dialogue, planning and implementation of eye health services in the region. It is also hoped that together IAPB and Novartis will create an effective, sustainable, and lasting approach to policy change and investment within countries in the region.

Commenting on this new partnership Peter Holland Chief Executive of IAPB said , “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Novartis in Sub-Saharan  Africa. Our partnership will directly connect, support and accelerate the lasting impact of Novartis Global Health programs in the region as well as the work of other stakeholders delivering services and activities at a country level”

“Through our partnership we will work to strengthen the sharing of Africa data by strengthening the IAPB Vision Atlas and Global Health Insights Centre.”

Welcoming this new effort Lutz Hegemann, Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Global Health, Novartis said “We look forward to working with IAPB over the coming years building advocacy and eye health support in Sub-Saharan Africa, to address inequities in access to eye care and promote country level advocacy for the integration of primary eye care into the primary health care system.

“Our work together will include the rolling out of the World Health Organization’s ‘Package of Eye Care Interventions’ in order to move forward the agenda of eye care as part of universal health coverage in the region. Together with IAPB we will ensure the development of eye health mapping tools to ensure that accurate data is gathered on countries in the region.”

***ENDS***

Notes to Editors:

• The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is the overarching alliance for the global eye care sector with 150 members worldwide drawn from NGOs and civil society, corporate organisations, professional bodies and research and eye care institutions. Please visit: iapb.org
• Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world’s top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 109,000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more athttps://www.novartis.com.