08/10/2026
"Clear vision allows children to learn, adults to earn a living and older people to retain their independence. Yet, millions of people across Africa live with vision loss that could have been prevented or treated.
Today, on World Sight Day 2026, I call on governments, partners, health workers and communities to accelerate efforts to bring affordable, quality eye care within everyone’s reach.
Uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts are the leading causes of vision loss in the African Region. Proven and cost-effective interventions are available for both, but coverage is still far too low. Only about 30% of people who need spectacles receive correction that restores good vision, while effective cataract surgical coverage is estimated at around 24%.
These figures reflect the daily experiences of children who struggle to read in school, adults whose livelihoods are affected, and older people who lose their independence because they cannot get a pair of spectacles, or the surgery they need.
WHO launched the SPECS 2030 initiative in 2024 to help countries close one of these gaps by expanding access for refractive errors. It brings together action to improve services, build the eye health workforce, increase public awareness, reduce costs and strengthen surveillance." - WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi
