Published : 20 Aug 2026, 01:58 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:34 AM
Bangladesh has launched the WHO SPECS 2030 Initiative, aiming to make quality, affordable eye care accessible to all and prevent avoidable vision loss.
The initiative was launched on Tuesday at a Dhaka event by State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muhit, alongside Sheikh Momena Moni, Health Services Division additional secretary, and Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Bangladesh.
WHO launched SPECS 2030 globally in 2024 to expand refractive error services.
A 2020 survey found 48.6 percent of Bangladeshis have refractive error, excluding presbyopia, but only 26 percent have access to spectacles.
The initiative aims to raise refractive error coverage by 40 percentage points by 2030.
MoHFW and the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIO&H) will lead the initiative, with technical support from WHO.
"We do not want eye care to remain a collection of isolated activities," Muhit said. "We want to bring NIO&H, the health system, professional bodies and NGOs together to strengthen services, including cataract and diabetic retinopathy care."
Moni said the goal was to ensure eye care reaches everyone, including underserved communities, through trained staff and stronger partnerships.
Mohamed said clear vision shapes a child's education, an adult's livelihood, and an elderly person's independence, and WHO remains committed to supporting Bangladesh in this effort.
