Prime Minister the Right Honourable Gaston Browne will place Antigua and Barbuda’s expanding national eye-health programme before an international audience in New York on Wednesday, as he participates in a special development forum being held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The Prime Minister will participate in “From Evidence to Impact: Making Eye Health a Development Priority,” an Impact Partner Session hosted by Devex in partnership with RestoringVision at the Devex Impact House @ UNGA81.
The discussion will examine how governments can move from recognising the health, social and economic benefits of vision care to establishing policies and programmes that deliver services at scale. Antigua and Barbuda has been identified by the organisers as an emerging national example of political leadership and commitment to expanding access to vision care.
Prime Minister Browne will bring a government perspective to the discussion, focusing on Antigua and Barbuda’s decision to treat vision care not only as a health intervention but as an investment in human capital, productivity and inclusive economic development.
“Good vision has implications far beyond the health sector. It affects a child’s ability to learn, an adult’s ability to work productively and a family’s ability to improve its economic circumstances. We therefore see investment in eye health as an investment in our people and, ultimately, in the economic and social development of Antigua and Barbuda,” Prime Minister Browne stated ahead of the engagement.
The international forum is intended to elevate near-vision care within global development discussions and demonstrate the economic returns that can flow from relatively simple and affordable interventions such as reading glasses.
The event brief notes that more than 826 million people globally live with uncorrected near-vision impairment, with consequences for worker productivity, household income and socio-economic mobility, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Prime Minister Browne is expected to address why Antigua and Barbuda has chosen to prioritise vision care, how political commitment can be translated into practical action across government, and the message the country’s experience offers to other governments ahead of the forthcoming Global Summit for Eye Health.
“The challenge for governments is not simply to acknowledge a problem, but to act upon the evidence. Where an affordable intervention can improve health, enhance productivity and improve quality of life, we have a responsibility to build the partnerships and delivery mechanisms necessary to make that intervention accessible to our people,” Prime Minister Browne said.
The session will also feature H.E. Keisha McGuire, Chief Global Affairs Officer of RestoringVision, with the discussion examining what is being described as “Visionomics” — the relationship between improved access to vision care and gains in productivity, livelihoods and economic opportunity.
The organisers have identified Antigua and Barbuda’s experience as an example through which the international community can examine the political leadership, partnerships and accountability mechanisms necessary to translate evidence into sustained government action.
Prime Minister Browne said the Government intends to continue expanding its partnerships in eye health and sharing the lessons emerging from Antigua and Barbuda’s programme.
“Our objective is straightforward: prevent avoidable loss of sight, restore vision wherever possible and ensure that financial circumstances do not unnecessarily prevent our citizens and residents from receiving essential eye care. At the same time, we want Antigua and Barbuda to demonstrate that small states can develop innovative and scalable approaches from which others can benefit.”
The discussion comes as Antigua and Barbuda continues to expand its national vision-care initiatives through partnerships aimed at screening, access to corrective eyewear, specialised treatment and sight-restoring procedures.
The UNGA engagement will also help build international momentum towards the Global Summit for Eye Health, with the organisers seeking to move the global conversation from commitments towards measurable implementation.
Prime Minister Browne is leading Antigua and Barbuda’s delegation to UNGA81, which includes Foreign Affairs Minister the Honourable E.P. Chet Greene, Health Minister the Honourable Michael Joseph and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Walton Webson.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Prime Minister Browne to Highlight Antigua and Barbuda’s Vision-Care Leadership at UNGA81 Development Forum.