African countries have been urged to ensure that older people are able to age with dignity and good health by focusing on eye health.
According to stakeholders on global health and development partners who converged for a three-day meeting last week in South Africa organized by the Fred Hollows Foundation, many countries lack national programs to address eye health.
Speaking during the meeting attended by stakeholders from governments and also NGOs on eye health, the foundation’s Deputy Country Director for Ethiopia, Mr. Melesse Akalu, said countries have been witnessing how poor vision limits the lives of older people in the communities.
He noted, however, the incredible difference made by access to affordable, quality eye care, and there the meeting, which is being held alongside the 17th Global Conference on Aging, is a powerful step towards national commitments that bring real change to older people in our communities.
By 2050, the number of people aged 60 and over in Africa is projected to triple, from 69 million in 2017 to 226 million. Today, around 70 million Africans aged 50 and above live with avoidable vision loss, a figure set to rise unless eye health is made a priority. Cataract is the leading cause of blindness, accounting for half to two-thirds of cases.
In Kenya, cataracts are a major concern for the aging population, with estimates showing a significant number of new visually impairing cataracts among adults aged 50 and above
Foundation’s Healthy Ageing Senior Advisor, Dr. Vânia de la Fuente Núñez said there is need to ensure older people everywhere can access the eye care they need so they can age with dignity and full participation in society
“This meeting puts healthy aging on the map by placing eye health where it belongs, at the center of policy conversations,” he said.
Dr. Núñez added that the meeting addresses the gap, raises awareness, strengthens regional collaboration, and seeks to align African priorities with the growing global agenda on eye health.
The vision loss in older age has serious consequences since it increases risks of falls, cognitive decline, depression, and social isolation and hence limits independence, mobility, and participation in community and work life.
Eye health is often absent from aging strategies in Africa, and existing services are underfunded and hard to access, especially for older women, people with disabilities, and those in rural areas, leaving avoidable vision loss a neglected public health issue for older populations across the continent.
“By joining forces now, we can shape a future where no older person is left behind due to preventable vision loss.” said the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Chair for West Africa Region, Mr. Senanu Quacoe Wossinu
The meeting was a springboard for building a strong, unified regional voice and driving coordinated efforts across Africa and an important step towards ensuring Africa’s priorities are represented at the first Global Summit for Eye Health in 2026.”
Participating countries are also expected to begin shaping a roadmap to the 2026 Global Summit on Eye Health, identifying concrete steps toward improved policy, service delivery, and implementation of eye health initiatives for older people.
To close the gap in eye care for older populations in the continent will be able to reach the World Health Organization’s 2030 eye health targets, advancing the ambitions of IAPB’s 2030 In Sight strategy and fulfilling the vision of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030).
In Kenya, the Fred Hollows Foundation started working in 2004 and has increased coverage of eye health services through the establishment of diverse partnerships with county governments, health training institutions, community-based organizations, and the private sector.
By Wangari Ndirangu and Felicia Debra
