Did you know 4 out of 5 blind people are needlessly impaired? And that 90% of the world’s visually impaired people live in developing countries?
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)’s theme for World Sight Day 2017 is “Make Vision Count” – a call to action in line with WHOs Action Plan 2014-2019 to work towards elimination of avoidable blindness and uncorrected vision impairment.
With the successful completion of the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness Survey in April 2017, Papua New Guinea now has figures to advocate for. The survey gathering evidence on the prevalence of avoidable blindness and vision impairment in all four regions in PNG, and the prevalence of DR in the National Capital District (NCD).
Blindness and poor vision have a serious impact on individual lives in PNG, leaving a lasting effect on the economy of communities and the country, leading to loss of productivity, greater unemployment and increased health care costs.
Figures found during that survey showed that 5.6% of adults of age 50 years and over a blind. Hence a population of 40 746 people are blind in both eyes and 67, 987 are blind in one eye. 61% of the population who are blind are women. More alarmingly, 7.8% prevalence of diabetes in adults of the said age.
The Blind Walk organised by Port Moresby Lions Club was to support the work of the National Prevention of Blindness to raise awareness on Avoidable Blindness.
The urgent need for eye care in PNG is the focus of the ongoing initiative between PNG Eye Care, Brien Holden Vision Institute and the PNG and Australian governments to develop sustainable systems providing increased access to eye care for all local people.
This collaborative relationship began in 2008 and has already achieved increased outcomes in eye care for tens of thousands of Papua New Guineans.
Samuel Peter Koim, General Manager, PNG Eye Care said, “this world sight day is very significant. To achieve better outcomes we have to invest in programs, services, advocacy plans and make vision count. Together we can break all the barriers of avoidable blindness and eye health issues in the Country. We can bring eye care services throughout the Country and make it accessible for everyone when we work together”.
Source: PNG Eye Care
Related articles:
- Rapid Assessment for Avoidable Blindness Survey Underway
- Public Urged to Support RAAB Survey Team
- Survey Shows Alarming Statistics for Blindness in PNG
