ZOC co-hosted the WHO World Report on Vision: China Action Forum with NIHA
Source: Department of Preventive Ophthalmology, ZOC
Written by: Liqiong Xie, Department of Preventive Ophthalmology, ZOC
Proofread by: Jiawei Wang
Edited by: Xianjing Wei
On 27th, August, 2020, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC), Sun Yat-sen University has co-hosted the “WHO World Report on Vision: China Action Forum” with the National Institute of Hospital Administration (NIHA) affiliated to the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, and the Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF). The Forum, as a series forum of the 4th China Eye Health Conference, has received support from the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarter in Geneva, WHO Collaborating Centre in Australia, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, the National Technical Steering Committee of Blindness Prevention, and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), all of which have been long-term and strong actors in the course of blindness prevention and eye health nationally and globally.
The World Report on Vision proposes Integrated People-centred Eye Care (IPCEC) as an approach to ensure eye care delivery in alignment with Universal Health Coverage, and recommends five key strategies to bolster the concerted efforts. The Forum, featuring invited lectures on the these recommendations and expertise, positions itself as a technical meeting on the World Report on Vision to shed light on the future priority. The five strategies are as follows:
· Eye Care as an Integral Part of Universal Health Coverage;
· Implementing integrated people centred eye care
· Effective Eye Care Interventions: High-quality Implementation and Health Systems Research
· Monitoring and Evaluation of Trends and Progress: Global Indicators and Population Surveys
· Community Engagement: Raising Awareness and Empowering People and Community
The Forum has embraced its special virtual opening, in a time when serious disruptions happen but we still strive to proceed with our mission-Universal Health Coverage, a shared vision of all eye health workers worldwide. Delegates from the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, NIHA, and FHF have expressed their thanks to all eye health practitioners in China for their hard work and contributions to the current progress in China, and look forward to future efforts for more achievement in the days to come.
Professor Xiaoling Liang, vice director of ZOC and director of Department of Preventive Ophthalmology, delivered an welcome address, in which she pointed out that the year 2020 is a critical year for eye health practitioners, as it witnesses the closing of the global initiative “Vision 2020” launched by WHO and IAPB, also the transition of “Thirteenth-Five Year National Plan” to the “Fourteenth-Five Year National Plan”. It is of paramount significance to ponder over past experiences and endeavors, and to prioritize our future actions in the days to come.
Professor Mingguang He, director of WHO Collaborating Centre in Australia and professor in ZOC, chaired the Forum and introduced necessary details to the audience with his profound knowledge of the Report and in-depth national and global involvement in the blindness prevention and eye care.
Senior technical officers from WHO introduced the overview and summary of the Report, and expounded how WHO plans and priorities its efforts to advance the realization of Universal Health Coverage. Region chair of IAPB, with their rich experience, illustrated on how to implement IPCEC.
Professor Yingfeng Zheng, professor in ZOC and expert in epidemiology surveys, elucidated his understanding and experience regarding the third key action-how to monitor trends and evaluate progress. Professor Nathan Congdon, professor in Queen’s University Belfast and guest professor in ZOC, presented his valuable insight and practical experience on high-quality implementation and health systems research. Ms Amanda Huang, China director of FHF, utilizing their rich experience in community projects, demonstrated how to engage and empower people and community.
With more than 8,321 views and heated discussions on the given topics, the Forum is open to eye health practitioners nationwide, especially those from the provincial department of blindness prevention, non-government organizations on eye health, all of whom have always been one of the strongest workforce to push forward the efforts of universal eye health. We hope this Forum can help to better galvanize actions and concert efforts to address global eye care challenges and to facilitate the creation of an enabling environment.
