Seeing a Better Future in El Salvador

Dr Van Lansingh is Regional Coordinator of the Latin America Region, for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness









In late July I went to El Salvador in order to meet with regional partners and country representatives for the second V2020 Central America Committees Meeting. The countries which attended were Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, Costa Rica and Panama.

We discussed several topics and there was agreement in most of the points.

One of the biggest achievements was the compromise from all the participants to produce a situation diagnosis in order to be presented at the World Health Assembly next May, which will enable them to develop suitable strategies to fight blindness and visual impairment in order to update or develop the National PBL Plan.

Also a Community Eye Health Course was announced to take place in June 2010 at El Salvador University (Universidad de El Salvador).

Of course one of the most encouraging points in the signed Declaration of El Salvador, was the renewed commitment to celebrate de World Sight Day, October 8, as an advocacy tool for the general public and enhance government participation

We are all looking forward to meeting back again in June next year, in order to see how far we have “traveled” and hopefully share successful strategies which can be replicated amongst participants.

Dr. Van Lansingh

Regional Coordinator, VISION 2020 Latin America

www.v2020la.org