Our work in Pakistan
Sightsavers began working in Pakistan in 1985, and opened a country office in 1998. Our focus is treating people with eye conditions, and making sure people with disabilities are not excluded from education and work.
Pakistan is the fifth most populated country in the world, yet almost 30 per cent of the population live in poverty.
Recent studies in Pakistan have found that there is an inextricable link between blindness and poverty: the prevalence of total blindness in poor areas was more than three times of that in affluent areas. Studies have also found that four million children in the country have a vision impairment.
Sightsavers aims to ensure everyone can be treated for eye issues. We’ve trained more than 85,000 Lady Health Workers to provide health care in the community for conditions including refractive error and cataracts. We’ve also trained more than 40,000 teachers to screen children in schools.
In collaboration with provincial partners, we’ve established seven paediatric ophthalmology centres, and trained thousands of opthalmologists and surgeons.
At a glance
Total populationWhat we focus on
Key programmes
We also partner with local and national organisations to improve the rights of people with disabilities in the country and make sure they are not excluded from society, work or education.
Over 20 years Sightsavers has run numerous projects on inclusive education, including training teachers on how to include children with disabilities in the classroom, establishing the first-ever model inclusive technology lab at school and university level and equipping government institutions with accessible IT software and braille books for students with visual impairments.
In January 2020, Pakistan signed its first ever law which protects the rights of people with disabilities.
How we’re making a difference in Pakistan
School eye screening
Sometimes a simple pair of glasses can change a child’s life. Sightsavers has been training teachers to screen children for vision problems.
Disability rights
Disability rights are high on the UN’s agenda – Country director Munazza Gilani looks at Pakistan’s priorities in the coming years.
Reaching everyone
Sightsavers’ Guillaume Trotignon visited Pakistan to see whether people living in urban slums in Lahore are able to get eye treatment.
Your donation could help to protect sight
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Stories from the SHIP eye health project in Pakistan
Sightsavers’ eye health screening project in Pakistan is helping children see and learn all over the country. We listen to stories of some of the children we have helped.
Pakistan’s first-ever Disability Rights Act becomes law
The legislation, approved on 10 January, will make it illegal to discriminate or exclude people on the basis of disability.
A journey, not a destination: eye health integration in Pakistan
Following simple steps can help decision-makers and donors to improve the system further, helping millions of people in need of eye care services in rural areas.
How Sightsavers celebrated World Sight Day
To mark World Sight Day 2019 on 10 October, Sightsavers country offices celebrated by highlighting the need to provide good-quality eye care to everyone.
August updates: highlights from around the world
A round-up of the latest work that your donations help to support, including news from Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan and India.
How Pakistan is keeping disability inclusion on the SDG agenda
Over two years, Sightsavers in Pakistan worked with strategic stakeholders and national partners to develop a voluntary national review report that focused on disability.
April updates: highlights from around the world
A round-up of the latest work that your donations help to support, including news from Pakistan, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire.
How partnerships help us reach vulnerable communities
In Pakistan, we work with disabled people’s organisations to ensure our new eye health programme is inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities.
November updates: highlights from around the world
News about a programme that has distributed more than 137,000 pairs of glasses across eight countries. Plus updates from Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique and more.
October updates: highlights from around the world
In October, celebrations took place in many of Sightsavers' programme countries to mark World Sight Day. Plus news from Kenya, Mozambique and more.
Naheed’s story
Naheed is one of the final patients to have surgery as a result of our Million Miracles campaign, which has raised enough to fund a million cataract operations in the countries where we work.
Eye care for those who need it most
In Pakistan, Ulrica Hansson learns how Sightsavers’ Right to Health programme is transforming local health care so people with disabilities are no longer excluded.
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