Dhaka:The State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. MA Muhit, announced that Bangladesh is committed to performing one million cataract surgeries and providing ten million pairs of spectacles by 2030. This initiative aims to address blindness and vision impairment across the country.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the announcement was made through a video address by Dr. Muhit at the Global Summit for Eye Health. The summit, organized by the government of Antigua and Barbuda in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and international development partners, was co-hosted by Bangladesh. Dr. Muhit emphasized the importance of protecting eyesight, noting its essential role in child development, human growth, and societal productivity.
In his address, Dr. Muhit highlighted the Bangladesh government's plan to reach 20 million people with expanded eye care referral services and announced a national commitment to eye health led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The government will implement a national eye care plan from 2026 to 2030, focusing on vision screening for every citizen to prevent avoidable blindness.
The initiative will involve collaboration with national and international NGOs and development partners to ensure comprehensive eye care for all citizens. Dr. Muhit expressed hope that the summit would lead to significant progress in eliminating avoidable blindness and visual impairment globally.