Inclusive eye health
Our goal is to ensure all our eye health work is sustainable, accessible and planned with gender and disability considerations in mind.
At Sightsavers, we want all our health programmes to include people with disabilities, women and other marginalised groups, such as people with HIV/AIDS and transgender people.
This is particularly important in eye health: we aim to empower marginalised groups so they can get treatment for eye conditions and are able to access other services, such as eye screening.
We also work to improve local health care by helping governments and local stakeholders to provide inclusive and sustainable health services that are available for all.
What we’re doing
We’re committed to making sure people with disabilities are included in our eye health programmes.
Pilot project in Bhopal, India
In 2016 and 2017 we tested different approaches to inclusive eye health in a programme in Bhopal, targeting some of the poorest and most vulnerable people. Find out more about the pilot project.
Replicating the approach in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Mozambique
After refining our approach, we are applying it to other programmes. We work with governments, NGO eye health providers and national disabled people’s organisations to make sure people with disabilities are involved at all stages of a programme. Read a blog about our project in Mozambique.
Continuing to expand our inclusive eye health projects
Over the past few years, we have launched a further four projects in Uganda, Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Tanzania. In 2020 we encountered new challenges and needed to pause our projects due to COVID-19. But after taking time to follow all rules and measures, we are now back on track and saving sight. Learn more about how we adapted our project in Tanzania.
Improving access to eye care for people with disabilities in Nigeria
This project, part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, focused on improving quality and equity of access to eye care services for people with disabilities in Kogi state. Sightsavers worked with the state government and local organisations of people with disabilities. Read more on the Inclusive Futures website
Reaching more
communities
Following our Bhopal pilot, we're breaking down barriers to eye health for people in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
About Right to HealthRead our blogs for more about our inclusion work
Inclusive eye health blogsMore about health
A lightning strike changed Yousuf’s life forever
Yousuf has come up against decades-long hardships, but with with a sight-saving cataract operation, life is finally looking better. Here, he shares his remarkable story.
“Nothing about us without us”: improving access to health care in Mozambique
Through Sightsavers’ inclusive health project in Nampula, Camilo Morreira shares his work to ensure that health care facilities are accessible for people with disabilities.
A bright future: saving sight in Tanzania
Across Tanzania, six newly qualified ophthalmic assistants are putting their skills to work supporting remote eye screening camps and testing sight in local hospitals.
Read our reports and strategies
Inclusive eye health resources