The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation has joined the World Health Organization’s (WHO) SPECS 2030 initiative, which aims to enhance global eye health through a targeted approach to refractive error coverage. The foundation’s partnership with WHO is set to bolster efforts to improve access to vision care for millions worldwide.
The SPECS 2030 initiative is an extension of WHO’s landmark 2021 goal, endorsed by member states at the World Health Assembly, to increase global refractive error coverage by 40% by 2030. The initiative focuses on five core pillars: improving access to refractive services, enhancing the capacity of eye care professionals, raising public awareness about eye health, reducing the cost of glasses and services, and strengthening data collection and research.
As a collaborator, the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation will contribute to these efforts through knowledge sharing, technical support, and data provision. The foundation’s involvement aims to further the WHO’s objectives, providing a foundation for impactful, scalable solutions that align with the global goal of expanding refractive error coverage.
Anurag Hans, head of mission at EssilorLuxottica and president of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, emphasized the scale of the issue, noting that uncorrected poor vision currently affects 2.7 billion people globally. “As a result of the Foundation’s efforts, 961 million people in some of the most remote communities now have access to vision care services within a day’s travel, and 84 million pairs of glasses have been provided to those in need,” Hans said.
He further underscored the importance of collaboration, stating, “By uniting WHO’s leadership in public health with our expertise in delivering innovative, on-the-ground solutions, we believe we can create a multiplier effect to extend vision care to even the most underserved regions. Together, we have the power to transform lives and uplift entire communities.”
Dr. Jérôme Salomon, assistant director-general for Universal Health Coverage, Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases at WHO, highlighted the broader social and economic importance of vision care. “Vision care is not just a health priority – it is a social and economic imperative,” he said. “The SPECS 2030 initiative, which underpins the UN Vision for Everyone resolution, reminds us that effective collaboration can amplify impact, delivering tangible results for communities worldwide.”
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