Health Cabinet Secretary(CS) Aden Duale has today reaffirmed the critical role of eye health in Kenya’s Social economic development.
Speaking today when he received The Fred Hollows Foundation Kenya, together with Partner Eye Health when they paid him a courtesy call to update him on the national eye health collaboration and invite him to the INSIGHT live event scheduled for June this year, the CS said eye health is not just a medical issue but it is central to education outcomes work productivity, road safety, and the country’s economic resilience.
INSIGHT Live, is a global event convening aimed at accelerating action towards eliminating avoidable blindness.
“Over the past three decades, we have reduced the prevalence of blindness in Kenya by nearly 50 per cent, demonstrating what strong partnerships and government commitment can achieve,” said Duale.
He further emphasized the importance of integrating eye health into the broader health system to achieve universal health coverage: “To achieve universal health coverage, eye health must be fully integrated into our health system, ensuring equitable access for all, especially the most vulnerable populations.”
He however added that despite the progress made, there is still work to do, especially in expanding access, strengthening the workforce, and eliminating avoidable blindness.
The Cabinet Secretary confirmed his participation in the INSIGHT Live event and committed to extending an invitation to the Presidency, underscoring the Government’s strong support for eye health as a national development priority.
Highlighting Kenya’s leadership role in regional healthcare, the CS added, “As a leader in healthcare in the region, Kenya must continue investing in eye health to meet global targets and protect the sight of our people.”
The meeting, held at the Cabinet Secretary’s office, focused on Kenya’s progress in eye health, ongoing partnerships, and preparations for INSIGHT Live event that is expected to convene global and regional leaders, policymakers, development partners, and eye health practitioners to showcase Kenya’s progress, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate collective action towards ending avoidable blindness.
The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its full support for the event and for continued collaboration with eye health partners to advance equitable, accessible, and sustainable eye care for all Kenyans.
Just last week, the government launched a national plan and initiative to tackle poor vision in the country.
The initiative SPECS 2030 marked a critical step towards addressing a widespread public health challenge considering the current effective refractive error coverage stands at approximately 6.7 per cent and this means that millions of Kenyans who need vision correction cannot access it.
The delegation was led by Peter Millo, Country Director of The Fred Hollows Foundation Kenya, comprised four Country Directors from international eye health INGOs, including Mr Moses Chege (Country Director, Sightsavers), Mr. David Munyendo (Country Director, CBM), Dr. Monica Bitok, Head of Ophthalmic Services Unit, MOH, Caroline Okumu (Operation Eyesight, Country Director), alongside officials from the Ministry of Health, including the Director General of Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, Head of Nursing and Curative Services, Dr. Andrew Toro and Representative from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Kristine Nyabera
by Wangari Ndirangu
