Global Consortium
Globally, approximately 285 million people are blind or vision impaired — over half of whom live in the Asia Pacific. 80 percent of this blindness is preventable or treatable, and reducing this number has a central role to play in reducing global poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.1
In response to this crucial public health issue, Vision 2020 Australia and its members are working with the Australian Government and partners across the region to eliminate avoidable blindness and reduce the impact of vision loss. Preventing avoidable blindness is one of the most cost effective of all public health interventions.
In 2007, the Australian Government established a $45 million Avoidable Blindness Initiative (ABI), based on a 10-year Regional Plan developed by Vision 2020 Australia and its members. This plan demonstrated how avoidable blindness could be eliminated in the Asia Pacific, with massive savings to national health budgets and a major contribution towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The Vision 2020 Australia Global Consortium, a partnership of nine Australian eye health and vision care organisations, was established and entered into a partnership with AusAID. Since 2010 the Global Consortium has been implementing programs in Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Samoa. These programs focus on the key tasks of training eye health staff, developing much needed infrastructure including eye clinics, hospitals and Vision Centres, and directly tackling treatable diseases like cataract through surgeries and other sight restoring interventions.
The work of the Consortium has so far provided strong evidence that its projects are having a major impact in reducing levels of blindness and vision impairment and in 2011, the Australian Government committed a further $10 million funding to Consortium initiatives in East Asia.
Vision 2020 Australia Global Consortium member agencies:
- CBM Australia
- Centre for Eye Research Australia
- Foresight Australia
- International Centre for Eyecare Education
- Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
- Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
- The Fred Hollows Foundation
- The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
- Vision Australia
The International Agency for Preventable Blindness (IAPB) Western Pacific Region also receives support through the Global Consortium. IAPB delivers workshops throughout the region to enhance communication, encourage good data collection and oversee implementation of National Eye Health Plans. Supporting and building capacity at a local level to strengthen advocacy and coordination is a key focus of the IAPB’s work.
The Global Consortium provides the opportunity to pool member resources and competencies to deliver better aid outcomes on the ground. The Consortium members work together to harmonise efforts and align with partner government priorities. This ensures local community ownership and creates mutual accountability for strong results. Gender equity and a commitment to inclusive disability practice for access and rehabilitation also underpin the members’ work in-country. The Global Consortium creates a platform for its members to speak with one voice to increase advocacy impact and reduce the administrative burden on partner governments. Together we are able to achieve better results for those most in need.
The Consortium has become a leading example of the improved health outcomes that can be achieved through effective partnerships. Partner governments welcome these coordinated strategies that result in greater aid effectiveness, reach and sustainability.
1Pascolini D, Mariotti SPM. Global estimates of visual impairment: 2010. British Journal Ophthalmology Online First published December 1, 2011