4. We must be speaking about (and funding) well being care as an entire, not particular person illnesses
Typically, funding is allotted for initiatives that deal with particular person illnesses fairly than well being care as an entire. However the well being care system isn’t working successfully in the event you efficiently deal with somebody for HIV they usually then die of a non-communicable illness (for instance).
We have to take a look at well being care as a system, not as one illness. We want an built-in method to well being and one the place we aren’t funding parallel programmes or tackling single illnesses. At CPHIA, there gave the impression to be a consensus amongst attendees that that is the most effective method, however the issue appears to be that funding has already been dedicated for programmes tackling a single illness for a time period, maybe for the following 5 to 10 years. Who has the facility to reallocate funding or to alter that?
After we’re speaking a couple of complete and built-in method to well being care, we should ensure that eye well being is on the desk and is among the priorities.
5. Eye care must be included in major well being care
Periods on the convention explored how bettering major well being care makes the general well being system higher. It was fairly attention-grabbing for me to see everyone realise that we’d like well being safety to attain common well being protection.
Then, we have to make sure that eye well being is included on the major stage in order that after we are driving that agenda, we’re additionally pushing for the combination of eye care into major well being care.
It was promising to see classes discussing what proportion of the well being finances goes to major well being care. How a lot are we anticipating out of our well being care? If we imagine that bettering major stage providers will tackle a lot of the issues, is that this mirrored within the finances? Or are we simply placing strain on major well being care to attain one thing with out enough sources?
6. Know-how is thrilling, however now we have to watch out
The convention was instrumental in furthering my understanding of the place Africa and the remainder of the world are heading concerning innovation and expertise, with each developments affecting eye well being. Know-how and innovation are good, however additionally they have a draw back. Subsequently, there’s a want for an acceptable governance construction for innovation and expertise at completely different ranges. There are additionally questions on how we regulate expertise and aspirations to ensure we use it to enrich our present work, not create extra parallel programs.
I feel that we must always take a look at how expertise may help us. For instance, with regards to diagnostics, we should take a look at the expertise or improvements that may assist us attain the individuals left furthest behind.
Then, how do these diagnoses get fed again and the way does this information get captured within the well being system?
Remaining ideas
I really feel a profound sense of accountability to play my half, nonetheless small, in guaranteeing that everybody has entry to high-quality, sustainable, and equitable well being providers once they want them. Nobody ought to undergo the tragedy of avoidable blindness.
Presently, 1.1 billion individuals worldwide have an untreated or preventable visible impairment. And the issue is spiralling – with out pressing enchancment to eye well being providers worldwide, 61 million individuals might be blind by 2050.
Eye well being must be prioritised as a part of a complete method to major well being care and common well being protection. Whereas progress has been made, work nonetheless must be accomplished to make sure eye well being providers are an integral a part of nationwide well being care.
International locations want to make sure eye well being is represented of their planning, resourcing and funding of well being care.
Why? As a result of Eye well being equals alternative, permitting kids to be taught and adults to earn. It equals improved wellbeing: supporting households, communities and nations to thrive. And it equals progress in direction of decreasing poverty and inequality.