Vision for the Future: Volunteer Based Vision NGOs and VISION 2020
xmattODx, OD MPH(candidate) and Thesis advisor XXX PHD, MPH, MSc
Abstract
Background: The global burden of visual impairment is high, with an estimated 161 million people visually impaired, 90% are in the developing world. Annually there is a net increase of 1-2 million blind. Two-thirds of blindness is avoidable. There are 1.4 million blind children in the world with 60-80% of newly blind children dying within one or two years of becoming blind. Visual impairment has extensive developmental, socio-economic and quality of life implications. In an effort to decrease the burden of visual impairment the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) developed a comprehensive approach, known as VISION 2020, to eliminate avoidable blindness in the world by 2020. Thirteen multi-national NGOs comprise the IAPB VISION 2020 task force. All are active in the implementation of VISION 2020 strategies: disease control, human resource and infrastructure development. An unknown number of independent volunteer based vision NGOs are also active in treatment and prevention of visual impairment projects in developing countries. Most conduct short term vision camps as a means of disease control.
Objectives: To determine if volunteer based vision NGOs (VBVNGOs) are aware of VISION 2020 strategies and objectives. To determine if VBVNGOs follow these globally accepted strategies as they implement visual impairment prevention and treatment projects. To develop a preliminary set of indicators to evaluate VBVNGOs.
Methods: The VISION 2020 strategies will be reviewed and two major categories of non-governmental organizations active in the prevention of blindness and low vision - multi-national NGOs who are key partners on the VISION 2020 taskforce, and volunteer based vision NGOs will be considered. The strategies of the multi-national organizations will be compared to the strategies set out in VISION 2020. The multi-national NGOs will then serve as a benchmark for the VBVNGOs. Surveys were sent to 51 volunteer based vision organizations to determine their knowledge and understanding of VISION 2020 and what strategies they employ in their projects and programs.
Results: The multi-national NGOs have similar strategies and common objectives. These strategies and objectives are in agreement with VISION 2020. Thirteen volunteer based vision organizations responded to the survey. From these surveys it is apparent that volunteer based vision NGOs are not aware of the VISION 2020 initiative and do not conduct their projects and programs in a way that is supported by VISION 2020.
Discussion: Volunteer based vision NGOs have the skills, resources, and enthusiasm to make an impact on the burden of visual impairment in the word. They do not, however, follow strategies accepted as most appropriate by the larger global eye health care community. It is recommended that volunteer based vision NGOs are discontinued in their current form. Volunteer based vision NGOs are encouraged to partner with national VISION 2020 programs and the IAPB Vision 2020 task force NGOs rather than continuing to work independently.
xmattODx, OD MPH(candidate) and Thesis advisor XXX PHD, MPH, MSc
Abstract
Background: The global burden of visual impairment is high, with an estimated 161 million people visually impaired, 90% are in the developing world. Annually there is a net increase of 1-2 million blind. Two-thirds of blindness is avoidable. There are 1.4 million blind children in the world with 60-80% of newly blind children dying within one or two years of becoming blind. Visual impairment has extensive developmental, socio-economic and quality of life implications. In an effort to decrease the burden of visual impairment the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) developed a comprehensive approach, known as VISION 2020, to eliminate avoidable blindness in the world by 2020. Thirteen multi-national NGOs comprise the IAPB VISION 2020 task force. All are active in the implementation of VISION 2020 strategies: disease control, human resource and infrastructure development. An unknown number of independent volunteer based vision NGOs are also active in treatment and prevention of visual impairment projects in developing countries. Most conduct short term vision camps as a means of disease control.
Objectives: To determine if volunteer based vision NGOs (VBVNGOs) are aware of VISION 2020 strategies and objectives. To determine if VBVNGOs follow these globally accepted strategies as they implement visual impairment prevention and treatment projects. To develop a preliminary set of indicators to evaluate VBVNGOs.
Methods: The VISION 2020 strategies will be reviewed and two major categories of non-governmental organizations active in the prevention of blindness and low vision - multi-national NGOs who are key partners on the VISION 2020 taskforce, and volunteer based vision NGOs will be considered. The strategies of the multi-national organizations will be compared to the strategies set out in VISION 2020. The multi-national NGOs will then serve as a benchmark for the VBVNGOs. Surveys were sent to 51 volunteer based vision organizations to determine their knowledge and understanding of VISION 2020 and what strategies they employ in their projects and programs.
Results: The multi-national NGOs have similar strategies and common objectives. These strategies and objectives are in agreement with VISION 2020. Thirteen volunteer based vision organizations responded to the survey. From these surveys it is apparent that volunteer based vision NGOs are not aware of the VISION 2020 initiative and do not conduct their projects and programs in a way that is supported by VISION 2020.
Discussion: Volunteer based vision NGOs have the skills, resources, and enthusiasm to make an impact on the burden of visual impairment in the word. They do not, however, follow strategies accepted as most appropriate by the larger global eye health care community. It is recommended that volunteer based vision NGOs are discontinued in their current form. Volunteer based vision NGOs are encouraged to partner with national VISION 2020 programs and the IAPB Vision 2020 task force NGOs rather than continuing to work independently.
