We are pleased to see that national efforts to reduce child blindness are making good progress.
According to WHO, nearly 1.3 million children suffer from refractive errors leaving more than 150,000 with impaired vision, of whom over half can be cured.
Early detection is crucial to treat and prevent the disease. More must be done to improve access to free eye-care treatment, including surgery, to help eradicate preventable blindness altogether.
The government should keep raising awareness to encourage parents to bring their children in for early detection, especially in remote, rural areas.
As with other diseases, a large part of combating child blindness begins with making sure that children receive good nutrition.
Poor nutrition, especially vitamin-A deficiency is a leading factor implicated in child blindness. While the country has been successful in reducing hunger, and ensuring most children are getting to eat more than one square meal a day, it is also clear that many are not receiving the proper nutrition they need.
It is vital that the government step up efforts to improve the variety and quality of the nation’s diet.
Education on good nutrition is just as important as combating hunger in helping the nation eradicate preventable childhood diseases. It is as important as the government ensuring that the food we eat is safe and free of any chemicals.
Averting childhood diseases by improving diet and health checks is a highly cost-effective way to improve opportunities and prevent unnecessary suffering.
