Play store
Bangladesh is preparing to make a major national commitment to expanding access to quality eye care at the 2026 Global Summit for Eye Health, as policymakers, health experts and development partners called for greater investment, stronger political commitment and equitable eye care services to eliminate avoidable vision loss.
The proposed commitment was discussed at a consultative meeting to finalise Bangladesh’s draft national pledge for the summit, held at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIO&H) in Dhaka.
The meeting brought together government officials, ophthalmologists, representatives of international development organisations, professional bodies and eye health institutions to shape the country’s commitments ahead of the global event.
Among those attending were International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Chief Executive Peter Holland, IAPB Southeast Asia Regional Head Yuddha Dhoj Sapkota, NIO&H Acting Director Prof Dr ASMM Quadir, Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh (OSB) President Dr Md Tauhidur Rahman, Secretary General Prof Md Zinnu Rain, and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), the INGO Forum in Eye Health and other partner organisations.
Addressing the consultation, Holland described investment in eye care as one of the most cost-effective public health investments a country can make. “Eye care is one of the world’s best buys,” he said.
He noted that investing US$129 million in eye care between 2026 and 2030 in a country like Bangladesh could generate an estimated US$2.3 billion in annual economic gains in the years that follow.
Holland said nearly one billion people in low- and middle-income countries continue to live with avoidable vision loss, underscoring the urgent need for increased investment in prevention and treatment.
He stressed that improving eye health is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as better vision contributes to improved education, employment, productivity and overall quality of life.
During his two-day visit to Bangladesh, Holland formally invited the country to become a co-host of the 2026 Global Summit for Eye Health, scheduled to be held on November 2, 2026, in Antigua and Barbuda.
He informed participants that during a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday, the prime minister agreed that Bangladesh would co-host the summit alongside Antigua and Barbuda and would also participate in the global event, reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening eye health services and reducing avoidable blindness.