National plan targets preventable blindness by 2030

The government aims to conduct 10 lakh cataract surgeries and distribute 1 crore prescription glasses by 2030 under its National Eye Health Action Plan for 2026-30, State Minister for Health MA Muhit said on Tuesday.

The plan also targets providing expanded referral-based eye care to 2 crore people during the five-year period.

Muhit announced the commitments in a recorded video message aired at the World Eye Health Summit on Tuesday.

The summit is being hosted by the government of Antigua and Barbuda in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and international development partners, with Bangladesh serving as a co-host.

In his message, Muhit said preventable blindness and vision impairment were not only humanitarian concerns but also had serious effects on society and the economy.

He said healthy vision was essential for children’s physical and mental development, human resource development and higher national productivity. It also helped people realise their potential, he added.

Presenting Bangladesh’s position and its five-year plan at the summit, the state minister said the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had made eye health a national priority.

“Our national commitment is to ensure eye examinations for every citizen and build a Bangladesh free of preventable blindness,” Muhit said.

He said the national health system would continue its efforts to prevent blindness and vision impairment, raise public awareness and reduce their spread.

The government would also work with national and international non-governmental organisations and development partners to ensure universal access to eye health services, he added.

Wishing the summit success, Muhit said the global effort to ensure clear vision for all could become a unique milestone in human history.