highlights.iapb.orgHistory - The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness

(Opens in a new window) (Opens in a new window) (Opens in a new window) (Opens in a new window) Choose an alternate language here English Español Français 中文 (简体) Join IAPB IAPB Home Page Home Campaign Campaign Love Your Eyes Love Your Eyes Actions Love Your Eyes at Work Become a Love Your Eyes Visionary Love Your Eyes Voices How to Love Your Eyes Love Your Eyes Resource Hub World Sight Day Campaign Assets Global Partners Clearly Through the Looking Glasses Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC)​ Learn Learn Vision Atlas Magnitude and Projections Inequality in Vision Loss Impact Causes of Vision Loss Solutions Knowledge Hub Integrated people-centred eye care (IPEC) Systems Change Technology for access Gender Equity All Knowledge Hub Topics Events Events Calendar 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE Mexico 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE Singapore Past Virtual Events Past IAPB Events Projects IAPB Young Systems Leader Awards IAPB eye health technology guide Focus On DR Barometer Seeing Is Believing Resource Library Advocate Advocate Global Advocacy UHC SDGs United Nations Regional / National Advocacy Advocating for Integrated People-Centred Eye Care Vision for the Commonwealth Advocacy Hub Advocacy to Action Connect Connect Join IAPB Partner With Us Trusts and Foundations Corporate Partnerships Regions Africa Western Pacific South East Asia Eastern Mediterranean North America Latin America Europe Members Members Directory Join A Work Group Content Submission Form Work Groups Diabetic Retinopathy Low Vision Gender Equity Climate Action Human Resources for Eye Health Refractive Error School Eye Health First Nations Special Interest Group Valued Supplier Scheme About About Staff Governance Global Ambassadors History VISION 2020 2030 In Sight Photo Exhibition News News Blog In The News Events Calendar Job Vacancies Join IAPB Search Site Search for: Home About History More in this section Governance 2030 In Sight Staff Blog News IAPB Board Elections 2023 History IAPB was established as a coordinating, umbrella organisation to lead an international effort in mobilising resources for blindness prevention activities. IAPB aspired to link professional bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), educational institutions and interested individuals with national programmes for the prevention of blindness. Vision Atlas Valued Supplier Scheme World Sight Day IAPB’s history began in the mid-1970s when the late Sir John Wilson amongst others, began to draw the international community’s attention to the problem of global blindness. These efforts led to the setting up of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) on January 1, 1975, with Sir John Wilson as the Founder President. The founding members were the World Blind Union (WBU) and the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO). Prevention of blindness milestones: 2000 to 2013 Select the following tabs for a brief review of milestones in the global programme for the prevention of blindness – initially compiled by Terrence Gillen. 2013 The 66th World Health Assembly unanimously approves ‘Universal Eye Health: A Global Action Plan 2014-2019‘. The plan, building upon and replacing previous VISION 2020 and 2009 – 2013 Action Plans, committed governments to a 25% reduction in the prevalence of avoidable visual impairment by the year 2019 from the baseline of 2010. 2012 The 9th General Assembly in Hyderabad attracts around 1600 registered delegates from 86 countries, doubling the numbers of previous assemblies. The Assembly culminates with the endorsement by acclamation of the ‘Hyderabad Declaration’, calling on international organisations, regional entities, governments, civil society and the private sector to work together to ensure that blindness and visual impairment are adequately and comprehensively addressed within an inclusive international development framework and as part of primary health care and health systems. Mr. Bob McMullan, former Minister of the Australian Government, is elected as the new IAPB President. 2010 IAPB 2010 report launched to mark the halfway point of the goals of VISION 2020. The report comes just before new WHO preliminary estimates released after publication indicate that visual impairment prevalence has been reduced from 314 million people in 2004, to 285.3 million today. Of these, 39.8 million people are estimated to be blind worldwide. 2009 The 2009-2013 Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment is endorsed by the 62nd World Health Assembly. 2008 The Eighth General Assembly of the IAPB is held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the theme, Excellence and Equity in Eye Care”. The Assembly sees a participation of 800 participants from 60 countries; the largest attendance of any previous assembly. Prevention of Blindness included in WHO strategic plan and objectives. 2007 Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness Action Plan 2006-2011 is released by the WHO. The Durban Declaration on Refractive Error announced at the first World Congress on Refractive Error and Service Development. 2006 A new resolution is adopted at the 59th World Health Assembly to further support prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment globally (WHA resolution 59.25 ‘Prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment’). 2004 The Seventh General Assembly is held in collaboration with the World Health Organization in Dubai, UAE, from September 20 to 24, 2004. Nearly 600 delegates from some 75 countries participate in scientific presentations, courses and attend plenary sessions that reflected the theme Partnership”. The WHO releases new data on the prevalence of global blindness on December 16th, 2004. According to the new figures, in 2002, 161 million people were visually impaired, of whom 124 million people had low vision and 37 million were blind. 2003 In May 2003, the WHO Resolution on Elimination of Avoidable Blindness was adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly, which calls on all member states to commit themselves to VISION 2020 plans by 2005. 2002 Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director General of the World Health Organization, launches ‘The State of World Blindness’ report on World Sight Day in Geneva. The report looks at issues surrounding blindness, cost of global blindness and highlight the achievements and future goals of VISION 2020. 2001 The first Joint Meeting of the VISION 2020 Task Force and IAPB Executive Committee, together with the WHO PBD, chaired by the President of IAPB. 2000 Lions Club International Foundation integrates World Sight Day” – an event launched as a part of their Sight First campaign – with VISION 2020. The task Force is also integrated into the IAPB structure in the last quarter of the year. From then on, a joint meeting of the Executive Committee and the Task Force is conducted every year. The President of IAPB chairs these meetings. Prevention of blindness milestones: 1980 to 1999 1999 VISION 2020:The Right to Sight – the Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness by the year 2020 was formally launched from W.H.O. Headquarters, Geneva on February 18th, 1999. The Sixth General Assembly of IAPB was held in Beijing, P.R. China, between September 5 – 10, 1999. About 600 participants, from 57 countries attended the Assembly and included medical, technical, managerial and community health professionals involved in the field of eye care. 1994 The Fifth Assembly was held in Berlin, Germany from May 8 – 13. The three main issues of primary health care were addressed by the theme of the meeting Towards Affordable, Accessible, Appropriate Eye Care”. 1991 A Regional Advisor for Prevention of Blindness is established in the WHO Regional Office for the Americas. 1990 The Fourth General Assembly of the IAPB is held in Nairobi, Kenya, and is attended by more than 400 ophthalmologists, public health workers, and managers. National prevention of blindness committees from 60 countries are represented by 113...