VISION 2020 - SRI LANKA

VISION 2020 is the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, launched in 1999, jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) with an international membership of NGOs, professional associations, eye care institutions and corporations.

Over two decades, it is hoped that VISION 2020 will prevent 100 million people from becoming blind.

VISION 2020, through WHO, IAPB and its member organisations, provides technical support and advocacy to prevention of blindness activities worldwide. At the nationallevel, a strong partnership between Ministry of Health, national and international NGOs,professional organisations, and civil society groups – brought together in a nationalprevention of blindness or VISION 2020 committee – should facilitate the developmentand implementation of effective and sustainable national eye care plans.

VISION 2020 seeks to eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness in order to give all people in the world, particularly the millions of needlessly blind, the right to sight

The goal is to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020. In the long term, the initiative seeks to ensure the best possible vision for all people, thereby improving their quality of life. This goal should be achieved through the establishment of a sustainable, comprehensive eye-care system as an integral part of every national health system.

The strategy of VISION 2020 is built upon a foundation of community participation, with three essential components or elements:


	cost-effective disease control interventions;
	human resource development (training and motivation); and
	infrastructure development (facilities, appropriate technology, consumables, funds).

The guiding principles are summarized in the acronym ISEE:

Integrated into existing health care systems

Sustainable in terms of money and other resources

Equitable care and services available to all, not just the wealthy

Excellence – a high standard of care throughout.

The VISION 2020 objectives are to:

	increase awareness – among key audiences – of the causes of avoidable blindness and the solutions that could help eliminate the problem;
	identify and secure the necessary resources around the world in order to provide an increased level of activity in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes; and
	facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of the three elements of the VISION 2020 strategic plan by national programmes.