March 27, 2019

Using smartphone based tools and health systems: Peek Vision

Andrew Bastawrous
CEO Peek Vision and Associate Professor of International Eye Health at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Organisation: Peek Vision

I’m delighted that we’ve joined the incredible network of organisations that IAPB represents. We’ve come a long way since Peek Vision was established as an independent organisation in late 2015, following several years as a research project within the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.  Peek has…

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March 27, 2019

Delivering eye care in Malawi: BICO

Khumbo Kalua
Director
Organisation: Blantyre Institute for Community Outreach

The Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology (BICO) is the only registered local eye health NGO in Malawi. We were established in 2008 with a mission — contribute towards the prevention and control of blindness in Malawi and the neighboring countries in the Southern African region. Our plan of action was to do this through operational…

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March 27, 2019

Call for Programme Submissions – Council of Members 2019

Emma Foote
Membership & Fundraising Officer
Organisation: IAPB

Calling all IAPB members! We are looking for your programme ideas for Council of Members 2019 (CoM). This year’s Council of Members will be held in Africa in conjunction with local host’s Sightsavers. We are very excited to offer IAPB members the opportunity to put forward your ideas for sessions. Following on from the success…

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March 27, 2019

IAPB Africa Knowledge: Publications

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

Trachoma Mapping Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 25: Sup. 1 2020 is the target year for the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. This issue of Ophthalmic Epidemiology contains a number of articles summarising where the Global Mapping Project has reached, including updates from Ethiopia, Uganda, Congo, Timor-Leste, Nepal, Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, Senegal, Chad, Yemen, Eritrea,…

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March 26, 2019

LAICO Training Update

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

The Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology (LAICO) has trained over 2660 trainees from 81 countries in eye care management. It offers various courses: 1. Certificate Course on Community Outreach and Social Marketing of Eye Care Services (Jun 14 – Jul 5, 2019) The objective of the course is to develop the skills of eye care…

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March 26, 2019

WOC2020 in Beautiful and Historic Cape Town

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

Please join the ICO in Cape Town, South Africa 26–29 June 2020, for the 37th World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC2020 ), the premier and largest international ophthalmic congress, with delegates expected to attend from over 110 countries. The World Ophthalmology Congress® is held every two years in a different region and offers a world-class scientific program…

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March 26, 2019

Orbis Closes Cape Town Office

Orbis International

As a result of a global program reorganization, all Orbis country offices will now report directly into Orbis International in New York, with no more regional offices.  After an analysis of our operations in South Africa, Orbis has closed the Orbis Cape Town office.  At this time, Orbis believes that it is in our best interests to re-allocate resources to support our program work in other markets that are growing faster for…

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March 26, 2019

First Francophone Africa Leadership Development Programme Graduates

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

The ICO supports Leadership Development Programmes (LDPs) in Anglophone and Francophone Africa with a focus on meeting the needs of future leaders in sub-Saharan Africa. With a strong and invested faculty, the LDP courses follow a model set by the AAO and cover a broad spectrum of subjects, including advocacy, engagement, society strengthening, navigating challenges,…

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March 26, 2019

The ICO Embraces 15 New Ophthalmology Society Members

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) Member societies make up a strong community connecting the world’s ophthalmologists. Composed of 118 National Societies, 8 Regional Societies, and 42 International Subspecialty Member Societies, our global network is working hard to share knowledge and increase access to high-quality eye care. In 2018, the ICO welcomed the membership of 15…

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March 26, 2019

Orientation Meeting for the implementation of the Primary Eye Care Training Manual

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

In February, IAPB, in collaboration with the WHO AFRO Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) programme held a two-day Orientation Meeting in Accra, Ghana, with country representatives from Anglophone [1]countries in the sub-Saharan Africa Region in order to support them in implementing the use of the Primary Eye Care Training Manual at national level, thus building and strengthening…

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March 26, 2019

WHO Launches Wide Ranging Reforms

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

WHO has announced the most wide-ranging reforms in its history to modernize and strengthen the institution to play its role more effectively and efficiently as the world’s leading authority on public health. The changes are designed to support countries in achieving the ambitious “triple billion” targets that are at the heart of WHO’s strategic plan…

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March 26, 2019

IAPB Africa Planning meeting

Simon Day
Regional Programme Coordinator
Organisation: International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)

The IAPB Africa Planning meeting took place in Accra as the first of a series of IAPB regional meetings following the development of the 2018-2021 IAPB Global Secretariat Plan. The meeting brought together participants from across Africa, representing the secretariat, members and partners. The meeting had three objectives: To draft the 2019-2022 IAPB Africa Strategic…

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March 26, 2019

IAPB Africa Editorial: Making progress towards Universal Health Coverage

Simon Day
Regional Programme Coordinator
Organisation: International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)

WHO has unveiled a landmark reform that targets primary care for billions of people. This “back-to-basics” targets one billion people in support of WHO’s top priority, Universal Health Coverage(UHC).  At the same time, a Resolution on Community Health Workers is to be considered at the upcoming World Health Assembly to accelerate progress on UHC and…

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March 22, 2019

Optometry for Australia

Maureen O'Keefe
CEO
Organisation: Australian College of Optometry
I am very proud of the strong public health eye care services, education and vision research carried out by the Australian College of Optometry towards improving eye health outcomes for the communities we support. The ACO was established nearly 80 years ago and we carry out around 75,000 eye care consultations annually. ACO works towards…

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March 22, 2019

Optometry for all

Scott Mundle
President
Organisation: World Council of Optometry
Witnessing a patient’s expression, the first time they are able to see clearly – it’s an amazing moment - a moment that is not quickly forgotten! Having practised optometry for 36 years, that moment has never diminished for me. As World Council of Optometry President, I am calling on the optometric profession to come together…

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March 22, 2019

Developing the building blocks of optometry

Brien Holden Vision Institute
Many say capacity building is the engine of human development. We believe developing global capacity is about creating and enabling transformations that empower the individuals, as much as the communities they service. Today as we celebrate World Optometry Day, we encourage you to pause to reflect on the fact that optometry, as a profession, is…

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March 22, 2019

Positive impact of refractive services

Robert Chappell
Chair IAPB Refractive Error Work Group
Organisation: World Council of Optometry
Uncorrected refractive error remains the major cause (43% ) of the 217 million people with medium to severe visual impairment at distance and an estimated 1.1 billion with near vision impairment. This means millions of people being functionally blind due to lack of access to spectacles resulting in lost education and employment opportunities, lower productivity…

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March 22, 2019

Eyeglasses Improve Quality of Life and Work Productivity

Ella Gudwin
President
Organisation: VisionSpring
“I was always afraid that due to blurred vision I may lose my job,” confides Hafiza, a sewing machine operator in Bangladesh. “I would continue working even with minor injuries to my fingers caused by the needle.” Hafiza is not alone in her struggle to work with blurry vision. Globally, one-third of workers have uncorrected…

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March 22, 2019

An optometrist’s role at the intersection of good vision and road safety

Kristan Gross
Global Executive Director
Organisation: Vision Impact Institute
On World Optometry Day, Kristan Gross on an optometrist’s role at the intersection of good vision and road safety. Today we mark World Day of Optometry and shine a spotlight on optometrists around the world who play a critical role in ensuring good vision for everyone — everywhere. When we address how quality vision care…

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