Oct. 13, World Sight Day: CBM Treats More Than 1 Million People

Emmanuel Bwire (Male, 9 years) at home. He has congenital bilateral cataract. He lives with his Mother Bennerdate Mwongeli and his twin sister Mary.

He was refferred to sabatia eye hospital.Vision Impact Project Kenya (VIP Kenya): P4016-BMZ-Sabatia -my

Worldwide, 1 in 2 people with visual impairment do not have the opportunity to access eye care services. That's More Than 1 Billion People Overall, Mostly concentrated in Developing Countries (Source: World Sight Report, Who 2019).

By 2050, This Figure Will Rise to 1.8 Billion

By 2050 This Figure Will Rise to 1.8 Billion – According to World Report On Vision Who and Lancet Global Health Commission Estimated – Two to an aging population and changing lifestyles.

But 90 percent of all visual impairments are at least and treatable.

These are the alarming date that CBM Italy – Humanitarian Organization Committed to the Prevention and Treatment of Avidable Blindness and Disability and to the Inclusion of People With Disabilities in the Global South and in Italy – Relaunches on the occasion of the World Sight Day, Which Will Be Celebrated Next Oct. 13, As Every Year on the Second Thursday in Octaber to Raise Awareness and Focus Global Attention On Blindness and Vision Problems.

Sharing This Goal, CBM Italy is launching the "Out of the Shadows, for the right to see and be Seen" Awareness Campaign Which in concrete Terms Translates Into the Ensuring Eye Care for More Than 1 Million People in 1 Year in 9 country in the Global South, Through Projects with an integrated approach that includes prevention, Treatment and rehabilitation of visual impairment and community inclusion. Examples includes projects in Kenya and Uganda.

In Kenya – Where 15.5 percent of the population suffers from Visual Impairement two to problems such as cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors such as myopia – CBM HAS LAUNChed in Comprehensive Prevention of Avidable Blindness to Particularly Reach Those Living in the Most Remote Communities, with Great Difficulty in Accessing the care they need.

Inclusive Access to Public Eye Care Services Providing

With the goal in 4 years of Provide inclusive access to quality public eye care services in 8 counties in Kenya, Project is based on innovative Technology Peek vision, A smartphone Application that Enables Vision Screenings in Communities and then censuses patients, creating an essential database to continuous monitoring them over time. An Important Tool to Support The Health Care System, to make on that no is Excluded: a Means to "Bring Out of the Shadows" That is, to make visible people in Need of Eye Care Who Were Previously Completely Invisible.

Also in Uganda Many People Are At Risk of Going Blind Due To Lack of Means and Inccessible Services. Overall there are 1.2 Million People With Visual Impairements, but as many as 75% of Cases are at least and treatable.

In The North of the Country, where the incident of Visual Impairment Registeri Higher Numbers, CBM Has Initiated the Construction of a Surgical plexus at st. John's Hospital. Joseph Able to try diagnostic care, specialized treatment, and surgery to more than 76 Thousand patients by the end of the project.

The Construction is part of a Large Three-Year Interventions

The Construction is part of a Large Three-Year Interventions To Improve Access and Quality of Eye Care Services Both in Communities and with Within Hospital Facility in Kitgum, Lamwo and Aua District (Acholi and West Nile sub regions, Northern Uganda). The ongoing work, which is alo being carried out according to Environmental Sustainability Criteria, Will be complete at the end of the year. CBM's interventions, in Agreement with the Ugandan Ministry of Health and with the Support of AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation), Also Includes Training Doctors and Health Personnel and Equipping Mobile Clinics in Remote Communities.

"In Kenya, as in Uganda, as in all the other country in the global south where we have a presentce, it is our commitment to Ensure that no is left behind when it comes to vision health. We work every day to improve the situation of people with visual impairments and to Ensure Effective eye care for Those Who Need it, " explains Massimo Maggio, Director of CBM Italy, Who goes on to explain the Economic and Health Gap Bethaeen Countries Around the World. "In Developing Countries, There is a Cycle That Links Poverty and Disability: When you live in Povery You Cannot Access The Care or Assistance You Need, So You Risk Developing A Disability; and when you have a disability you are at Greater Risk of Becoming Poor.This Cycle Must Be Broken, Because Evryone Has The Right To See and Be Seen.".

The Efforts of CBM Italy – Which is part of the International CBM (Christian Blind Mission) Organization Recognized by Who for Its Commitment for More Than 110 Years To Ensury Accessible and Quality Eye Care – Is in line with the IAPB (International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) "2030 in Sight" Strategy With 3 Goals: Everyone Should Have The Opportunities to Have An Eye Exam, Receiveable Eye Eye Care, Have Glasses When Need Them.