You are here:
Home
>
News and Events
>
Industry News
>
Durban Declaration on Refractive Error and Service Development
Durban Declaration on Refractive Error & Service Development
16 March 2007
Durban, South Africa, Friday 16 March, 2007: Key public health bodies and healthcare professionals today watched as the Durban Declaration was signed at the World Congress on Refractive Error to advocate public health strategies for an end to unnecessary blindness from uncorrected refractive error affecting more than 300million people in the world today.
The Declaration states refractive error is a major health issue impacting on individuals, their families and communities and which is a contributing cause of poverty in the world. Avoidable blindness and impaired vision, which has an estimated global economic impact of $US42 billion annually, half of which is due to refractive error.
The impact of refractive error services would make a profound impact on reduced levels of child and adult literacy rates and significantly impact on poverty through increased employment opportunities and productivity, contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
Over 650 international delegates at the Congress heard that the major challenge ahead was to ensure that those blind or vision impaired due to refractive error not only needed access to an eye examination and a pair of affordable glasses, but that health, education, social welfare systems needed to empower communities, parents and children to contribute to improving their own eye health.
The Declaration recognized that the greatest contribution to a severe worldwide lack of refractive error services was the lack of trained personnel to provide them; a need that was most pronounced in poor and marginalized communities.
The Declaration resolved to:
- Create global awareness of the impact of refractive error on sufferers, their families and community and the need for services;
- Advocate to National Governments and world health care agencies for the policies, services and resources required to meet the needs.
- Strive to overcome the barriers that prevent those with refractive error and low vision from obtaining the same services, rights and opportunities as others;
- Ensure refractive error services are prioritized in planning and development of National Health Plans;
- Invest in training of eyecare workers and professionals;
- Support the establishment of global distribution channels to make high quality spectacles available;
- Encourage research and application of the results to achieving the most effective solutions; and
- Work to build relationships with private sector and service providers to expand availability of sustainable services.
The Congress was hosted by the International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) and attended by representatives of World Health Organisation (WHO), International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (the peak body on avoidable blindness), World Council Optometry, International NGO planners, professional associations and leading clinical and public health scientists.
The Declaration was signed by the Chairs of the IAPB, ICEE and the Congress Chair.
Congress Chairperson, Professor Kovin Naidoo, said today, “…the discussions leading up to the Declaration will have a monumental impact on how we view the current eyecare crisis in so many countries in the world. In most developing countries, there are no Optometrists, no schools of Optometry and no one to provide the appropriate refractive error services for the population. It is crucial that these services are established.” he said.
Chair of ICEE, Professor Brien Holden said, “at this very historic congress we have identified that while the magnitude of the problem is beyond our original estimations, the need is urgent and the solution is achievable”.
View the full declaration below:
Durban Declaration on Refractive Error and Service Development