Community Eye Health J Indian Supplement 2005;18(56): s72

VISION 2020: The Right to Sight India forum (Oct ’05 - Feb ’06)

The activities of the VISION 2020: The Right to Sight - INDIA Forum accelerated during the last five months, from October 2005 to February 2006. In keeping with its close working relationship with the National Program for Control of Blindness in India and the VISION 2020: The Right to Sight India plan of action, it strategically shifted its National Secretariat from Madurai, Tamil Nadu to New Delhi, to be in the thick of action.

Prominently during the period it played a -very strong networking role with the Government (Particularly with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) to strengthen and streamline the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) and to take the movement to various states of the country through the development of state plans.

During this period World Sight Day (WSD) was celebrated on 13th October 2005 (Fig. 1) in Hyderabad which saw participation from all the strong advocates like the President of India, Union Health Minister and the Minister for State, Government of India, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting as well as representatives of various international and national non-governmental organisations and civil society. The Andhra Pradesh chapter of the VISION 2020: The Right to Sight and Lions Club International Foundation along with the VISION 2020: The Right to Sight India Forum were the main organizers of the event.

During the event, felicitations and awards were given to the best performing partners in VISION 2020: The Right to Sight India. Two new projects on the elimination of Childhood Blindness and Diabetic Retinopathy were launched.

The Union Health Minister released a Global report titled “State of the World’s Sight VISION 2020: The Right to Sight 1999-2005” as well as the Revised Guidelines for District Blindness Control Society and the Revised Scheme for Participation of Voluntary Organizations for 2000 - 2007, under the 10th Five-year plan of the central government.

Other activities during the period included the following:

I. Advocacy and Networking

Participation by the Executive Director at the 32 All India Optometric Conference at Khajuraho from 23rd to 25th December and the First National Conclave of Lions NGO Eye Hospitals from 26th December to 28th December at Ahmedabad respectively. The VISION 2020-India forum had a discussion with the State Minister for Health and Family Welfare on 4th January 2006 in Delhi. The meeting covered areas such as the strengthening of NPCB, facilitation for development of the state plan and the 11th five year plan. A meeting was held with the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and his team of officials on 20th January 2006 in his chambers in Delhi for discussions on strengthening the VISION 2020 initiatives in the North East Region, strengthening NPCB, developing the 11th Five Year Plan and state plans and for the next World Sight Day Celebration in North East.

The Task Force Committee Meeting for the 11th Five Year Plan was organised on 8th February 2006 at the VISION 2020- India premises in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Other representatives from Government, Founder INGOs of VISION 2020-India Forum, Representatives from the World Health Organization and representatives from other leading Eye Care Institutions participated in the meeting. The meeting was called to review the performance of NPCB in 10th Five Year Plan and to give strategic inputs for developing the 11th Five Year Plan. The group discussed a variety of relevant issues during the meeting and came up with suggestions that are to be incorporated in the 11th plan.

II. Membership

Two NGOs KK Eye Institutes, Pune, Maharashtra state and KG Hospital Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu state became members.

III. Workshops

National Consultation on Refraction Error, sponsored by Sight Savers International
National consultation on Eye Banking and Corneal Blindness, organized by ORBIS International.
With the overall objective of prevention and reducing blindness resulting from Diabetic Retinopathy (emerging priority disease in VISION 2020 initiatives), VISION 2020-India had organized the National Workshop on Diabetic Retinopathy in association with Vivekananda Mission Ashram, Chaitanyapur, West Bengal.

IV. Meetings

The Board of Management met twice during this period to give proper shape, direction and inputs to the VISION 2020 India.