The government has unveiled a nationwide initiative to provide free and low-cost cataract surgeries aimed at restoring the eyesight of nearly 10 lakh people who have become visually impaired or blind due to untreated cataracts.
State Minister for Health Dr MA Muhit announced the initiative on Monday after a courtesy call between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Chief Executive Peter Holland at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat.
He also said Bangladesh has agreed to serve as a co-host of the world's first Global Summit on Eye Health, to be held in Antigua in November, alongside the host country, following the approval of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
"Nearly 10 lakh people in Bangladesh are currently living with visual impairment or blindness because they have not undergone cataract surgery. Restoring their vision is one of the government's top priorities," the state minister said.
He said the Prime Minister has taken the initiative with great sincerity, adding that the government is preparing a large-scale nationwide programme to provide cataract surgeries either free of charge or at affordable prices.
To make treatment more accessible, he noted that the government has reduced taxes on the intraocular lenses used in cataract surgery in the current budget, significantly lowering the overall cost of the procedure and easing the financial burden on low-income patients.
Referring to the Global Summit on Eye Health, Dr Muhit said the event will bring together prime ministers and health ministers from around the world for the first time to strengthen global commitments to improving eye care, with Bangladesh playing a leadership role as co-host.
The state minister also outlined a new government plan to improve eye care for schoolchildren in rural areas.
He said many children in villages suffer from poor vision due to the lack of eye examinations and access to glasses, affecting both their education and overall development. The Prime Minister has expressed concern over the issue and requested the IAPB to support nationwide vision screening and spectacle distribution for children. The organisation has assured its full cooperation, he added.
Speaking at the meeting, IAPB Chief Executive Peter Holland said the Global Summit on Eye Health, scheduled for November 2 in Antigua, will provide a unique platform for world leaders to announce concrete commitments to strengthening eye health services in their respective countries.
Describing Bangladesh as a global leader in eye health, Holland said the country has long played a pioneering role in protecting vision worldwide. Bangladesh sponsored the first-ever UN resolution on vision and has made significant contributions to advancing global eye health over the decades.
He added that the IAPB, together with international and local development organisations, is working closely with the Bangladesh government to transform eye care services, with major investments focused on improving the quality of cataract surgery and expanding access to affordable eyeglasses across the country.