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WHO launches international programme to combat childhood blindness
POLICY AND PEOPLE
WHO launches international programme to combat childhood blindness
W
HO launched a 5-year programme to reduce the burden of avoidable blindness in children in 30 developing countries. The US$3·75 million project, funded by Lions Clubs International Foundation, was launched at a meeting of donors and opthamologists on June 18–20, in Geneva, Switzerland. The programme will help countries establish comprehensive primary care eye programmes, paediatric units, and low vision services, according to Gopal Prasad Pokharel of WHO’s Prevention of Blindness and Deafness programme. “For the first time a ‘concerted’ effort has been made to address avoidable childhood blindness in developing countries”, says Dr Pararajasegaram, former president of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
According to WHO, half of the 1·5 million cases of childhood blindness have preventable or treatable causes including measles, ophthalmia neonatorum, vitamin A deficiency, and harmful traditional medicine eye treatments Furthermore, of the 500 000 children who become blind each year, 60% die from the causes that resulted in their blindness. “These are generally the countries and communities which are facing very high deprivation, infant and under 5-year-old mortality rates”, Pararajasegaram told The Lancet. WHO warned that blindness and visual impairment among children have “far reaching social, economic, and personal implications [and pose] serious barriers to the development of the child at a formative stage”. “Investing in children from the
earliest years is not charity. It is the best way to ensure long-term development. This holds especially true for children’s sight”, Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO’s Director-General told participants at the Geneva meeting. In terms of blind-person years, the burden of childhood blindness is “only second” to cataracts, the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The funds and aims of this programme will complement other WHO-led projects already in place. However, “more funds would be required for treatment, training, rehabilitation and research into currently ‘unavoidable’ causes of childhood blindness for which scientifically sound interventions don’t exist”, said Pararajasegaram. Khabir Ahmad
New French government solves doctors’ longstanding grievances expressed his support for GPs during he new French government, the election campaign, and discuswhich now enjoys a large parliasions between doctors and the mentary majority after the June 16 government resumed immediately general election, finally managed to after his election on May 5. As a end the general practitioners’ strike result, doctors will now get €20 for that began in November, 2001, but each consultation in already faces new their practice and €30 salary requests from Rights were not for a home visit, but other doctors and only if that visit is health professionals. granted to “medically justified”, On June 5, the govinclude this for example in case of ernment and health emergency or if the insurance and medical image in patient is not able to trade unions agreed to electronic come to the doctor’s end the general practipractice. tioners (GPs) strike media. Please The fee increase will which has lasted more refer to the cost health insurance than 7 months, and has companies €260 milbecome the longest printed journal. lion per year. To dispute in French medminimise costs, docical history (see Lancet tors have promised to 2002; 359: 143). replace at least 25% of The strikes began all their branded drug after French GPs Raffarin and Chirac prescriptions with refused to treat generic drugs, and to reduce their patients outside normal business prescription of antibiotics, which hours, forcing patients to call public critics have called excessive. The emergency services or to go to hospichanges in prescribing practices tals during nights, weekends, or could save the health service holidays. The GPs had requested an €300–400 million per year. But the increase in their consultation fee from change represents a difficult chal€17·50 (US$17) to €20 to resume lenge for French doctors with generic their normal work. drugs forming only 3–4% of prescripIn January, 2002, the former socialtions handed out each year—one of ist government agreed to increase their the lowest proportions in Europe. fees to €18·50, but this was regarded Now other groups of doctors, as insufficient by doctors who among them paediatricians, have continued the strikes. Jacques Chirac PA Photos
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urged the government to increase their consultation fees. Paediatricians went on strike on June 17 and have threaten further walkouts in the next few weeks. Despite this threat, Health Minister Jean-François Mattéi’s main concern is hospital expenses. He has said that €6500 million will be needed by 2007 to tackle the shortage of doctors and nurses by creating thousands of new jobs and to secure necessary investments and modernisation programmes. The government, which promised to reduce income taxes and has also rejected any increase in health insurance fees, will now have to find these funds from other sources. Among possible cost-cutting solutions, the government may reconsider introducing the “35-hour week” in hospitals, but would then face the opposition of most hospital workers’ trade unions. The new government, which has promised to “restore confidence” with the medical community, wants to negotiate new cost-regulation systems, and would rather avoid further confrontation with health professionals. But the stakes are high, because the last socialist government from 1997–2002 and Jacques Chirac’s first government from 1995–97 have tried and failed to cut costs, which have led to numerous medical strikes and protests since that time. Denis Durand de Bousingen
THE LANCET • Vol 359 • June 29, 2002 • www.thelancet.com
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet Publishing Group.
WHO launches international programme to combat childhood blindness
W
HO launched a 5-year programme to reduce the burden of avoidable blindness in children in 30 developing countries. The US$3·75 million project, funded by Lions Clubs International Foundation, was launched at a meeting of donors and opthamologists on June 18–20, in Geneva, Switzerland. The programme will help countries establish comprehensive primary care eye programmes, paediatric units, and low vision services, according to Gopal Prasad Pokharel of WHO’s Prevention of Blindness and Deafness programme. “For the first time a ‘concerted’ effort has been made to address avoidable childhood blindness in developing countries”, says Dr Pararajasegaram, former president of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
According to WHO, half of the 1·5 million cases of childhood blindness have preventable or treatable causes including measles, ophthalmia neonatorum, vitamin A deficiency, and harmful traditional medicine eye treatments Furthermore, of the 500 000 children who become blind each year, 60% die from the causes that resulted in their blindness. “These are generally the countries and communities which are facing very high deprivation, infant and under 5-year-old mortality rates”, Pararajasegaram told The Lancet. WHO warned that blindness and visual impairment among children have “far reaching social, economic, and personal implications [and pose] serious barriers to the development of the child at a formative stage”. “Investing in children from the
earliest years is not charity. It is the best way to ensure long-term development. This holds especially true for children’s sight”, Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO’s Director-General told participants at the Geneva meeting. In terms of blind-person years, the burden of childhood blindness is “only second” to cataracts, the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The funds and aims of this programme will complement other WHO-led projects already in place. However, “more funds would be required for treatment, training, rehabilitation and research into currently ‘unavoidable’ causes of childhood blindness for which scientifically sound interventions don’t exist”, said Pararajasegaram. Khabir Ahmad
New French government solves doctors’ longstanding grievances expressed his support for GPs during he new French government, the election campaign, and discuswhich now enjoys a large parliasions between doctors and the mentary majority after the June 16 government resumed immediately general election, finally managed to after his election on May 5. As a end the general practitioners’ strike result, doctors will now get €20 for that began in November, 2001, but each consultation in already faces new their practice and €30 salary requests from Rights were not for a home visit, but other doctors and only if that visit is health professionals. granted to “medically justified”, On June 5, the govinclude this for example in case of ernment and health emergency or if the insurance and medical image in patient is not able to trade unions agreed to electronic come to the doctor’s end the general practipractice. tioners (GPs) strike media. Please The fee increase will which has lasted more refer to the cost health insurance than 7 months, and has companies €260 milbecome the longest printed journal. lion per year. To dispute in French medminimise costs, docical history (see Lancet tors have promised to 2002; 359: 143). replace at least 25% of The strikes began all their branded drug after French GPs Raffarin and Chirac prescriptions with refused to treat generic drugs, and to reduce their patients outside normal business prescription of antibiotics, which hours, forcing patients to call public critics have called excessive. The emergency services or to go to hospichanges in prescribing practices tals during nights, weekends, or could save the health service holidays. The GPs had requested an €300–400 million per year. But the increase in their consultation fee from change represents a difficult chal€17·50 (US$17) to €20 to resume lenge for French doctors with generic their normal work. drugs forming only 3–4% of prescripIn January, 2002, the former socialtions handed out each year—one of ist government agreed to increase their the lowest proportions in Europe. fees to €18·50, but this was regarded Now other groups of doctors, as insufficient by doctors who among them paediatricians, have continued the strikes. Jacques Chirac PA Photos
T
2258
urged the government to increase their consultation fees. Paediatricians went on strike on June 17 and have threaten further walkouts in the next few weeks. Despite this threat, Health Minister Jean-François Mattéi’s main concern is hospital expenses. He has said that €6500 million will be needed by 2007 to tackle the shortage of doctors and nurses by creating thousands of new jobs and to secure necessary investments and modernisation programmes. The government, which promised to reduce income taxes and has also rejected any increase in health insurance fees, will now have to find these funds from other sources. Among possible cost-cutting solutions, the government may reconsider introducing the “35-hour week” in hospitals, but would then face the opposition of most hospital workers’ trade unions. The new government, which has promised to “restore confidence” with the medical community, wants to negotiate new cost-regulation systems, and would rather avoid further confrontation with health professionals. But the stakes are high, because the last socialist government from 1997–2002 and Jacques Chirac’s first government from 1995–97 have tried and failed to cut costs, which have led to numerous medical strikes and protests since that time. Denis Durand de Bousingen
THE LANCET • Vol 359 • June 29, 2002 • www.thelancet.com
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet Publishing Group.