Antigua Leads Vision Health Initiative at 78th UN General Assembly
NEW YORK, New York – In the margins of the just concluded 78th United Nations General Assembly, the government of Antigua and Barbuda hosted a breakfast meeting to bring awareness to challenges facing vision health.
Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne at UNGA side meeting on vision healthPrime Minister Gaston Browne called on the leaders in attendance to commit to solving the world’s vision problem stating that despite the many challenges facing the world right now, which must be tackled, with climate change being the “obvious example…some issues are straightforward and non-controversial. Healthy vision is one and it can be solved this decade,” Prime Minister Browne declared.
Wearing a pair of Love Your Eyes glasses to symbolize his support for available, accessible and affordable eye care for all, Browne told the world’s leaders that, “Eye health is more than a health issue; it’s a sustainable development issue. Improving access to eye health is achievable, practical and cross-cutting.”
A statement from the office of Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Walton Webson, said the discussion on vision and eye health resulted from the need to address a fundamental global economic, social and development issue on which Antigua and Barbuda is seeking to show leadership.
The breakfast meeting discussed the importance of global leadership in implementing the UN General Assembly Resolution Vision for Everyone.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said “Vision is much more than a health challenge. Improving eye health is critical to supporting efforts to build a more equitable, inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.”
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew expressed gratitude to Antigua and Barbuda and to Prime Minister Browne for their leadership role in piloting such a crucial and inspirational initiative.
