In This Issue
What is PBU?
The Prevention of Blindness Union (PBU) is an International union of Nongovernmental Development
Organizations working in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) and Africa. It has the following reputable
international NGOs and bodies as members:
- IMPACT-EMR Saudi Arabia
- AlBasar International Foundation Saudi Arabia
- Al Noor Foundation Egypt
- Nadi AlBassar Tunisia
- CHEF International Pakistan
- Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND)
- Islamic Development Bank,(Ex-Officio member)
- Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology - MEACO
- WHO EMR. (Ex–Officio member)
The union is under leadership of HRH Prince Abdulaziz Ahmad Al Saud.
The Vision of PBU is to facilitate the provision of comprehensive eye care to all segments
of the society based on the principles of equity and justice.
The Mission of the union is to support, coordinate, collaborate and advocate activities in the
field of comprehensive eye care (promotion, preventive, curative and rehabilitation) with all stakeholders (such as
Governments, Non-Governmental Development Organizations (NGDO), regional and international organizations, professional
bodies and institutions) in the EMR and Africa.
For more information on PBU please visit:
www.pbunion.org
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Africa glaucoma experts control meeting adopts Kampala resolution
A Public Health Control of Glaucoma in Africa Meeting organized by PBU in collaboration
with IAPB-Africa, which was held in Kampala Uganda from 17 - 18 April, has come up with a
resolution towards control of the needless visual loss from glaucoma in the Africa
continent. The resolution was a product of 2 days discussions, deliberations and brain
storming among over 30 experts in glaucoma, eye care program, governmental and
non-governmental organizations, training institutions, professional bodies, patients
group in the region etc.
In addition to the resolution, the meeting also developed actionable activities that
will be undertaken by various stakeholders in eye care in the Africa region to address
the high burden of glaucoma visual loss.
The meeting was funded by the Islamic Development Bank and IMPACT-EMR.
Please find the workshop report for the resolution and actionplan.
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Saudi Arabia concludes 3rd RAAB +DR survey
The Saudi National Prevention of Blindness Committee and the Ministry of Health have
completed the a RAAB +DR survey in AlAhsa region of the Kingdom. This brings to three
the number of RAAB DR surveys conducted in the Kingdom in the last one and half years.
Similar surveys were conducted in Taif and Jizan.
The surveys are aimed to provide data needed to review eye care and diabetic retinopathy
services in the Kingdom. The surveys were done with collaboration of IMPACT-EMR and
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and King Saud University.
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WHO develops a follow up Action Plan for Visual Impairment and Blindness 2014-2019
The Executive Board of WHO at its 130th session in January 2012 in Geneva considered the
report on progress in implementing the action plan for the prevention of avoidable blindness
and visual impairment 2009-2013.
It noted that the current action plan will end in 2013, and decided that work should commence
immediately on a follow-up plan for the period 2014–2019. It is expected that member countries,
international partners and other stakeholders will contribute actively to the development
of the new plan.
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New Action Plan for Prevention of Blindness and Visual Impairment 2014-19: Inputs needed from member countries and international partners
The current Action plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment 2009-2013
will expire by next year. So the WHO is currently developing a follow up action plan for prevention
of blindness and visual impairment for the period 2014-2019.
The follow-up action plan for the period 2014-2019 is planned to be adopted by next year’s World
Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in May 2013. All members’ states and international partners are
required to actively participate in developing this action plan to ensure ownership and implementation.
A Discussion Paper is now available on this
link for comments. It reflects the responses received from a web-based consultation and recent thinking
within WHO on the experience of implementing the 2009-2013 Action Plan. Member States and international
partners are invited to submit their views by sending an email to WHOPBD by Friday, 18 May 2012,
and copy emr@emr-iapb.org.
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9th General Assembly of IAPB, India 17 - 20 September 2012: Special visa processing for some countries
There will be special visa processing for some countries to attend the forthcoming General Assembly of the
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), which will be held in Hyderabad, India from
17 - 20 September 2012. The countries are namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka, Sudan and Stateless individuals. The organizing committee of the General Assembly had assured that
there will be special arrangements to ensure persons from these countries secure visa to attend the
meeting.
For more information, please click
here
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WHO release new blindness data
The World Health Organization had released new blindness and visual impairment data. The new estimate
reports 285 million people with visual impairment of which 39 million are blind.
For more details visit: http://www.who.int/blindness/en/
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