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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 13, 2026 | The Indian Eye 18

Global Leaders Gather at UK Parliament to

Mark 49 Years of Eye Foundation of America

OUR BUREAU philanthropy in transforming public
health outcomes.
London
Dr. Sam Maddula, Board Mem-
lobal leaders, parliamen- ber and Major Donor of the Eye
tarians, healthcare experts, Foundation of America, emphasised
Gphilanthropists, and civil so- the long-term impact of investing in
ciety representatives gathered at the childhood blindness prevention. “Re-
House of Lords on Friday to mark the storing sight is not charity—it is one
International Day for a World With- of the most powerful investments we
out Childhood Blindness (IDWWCB) can make in a child’s future and in a
and commemorate 49 years of service nation’s human capital,” he said.
by the Eye Foundation of America Senior parliamentarians, health-
(EFA), a global non-profit working to care leaders, Rotarians, policy advo-
prevent and treat childhood blindness cates, diplomats, and members of the
since 1977. international media were also present,
The high-level event, held at the reflecting broad-based support for the
UK Parliament, highlighted January ening, with a particular focus on un- SDG 3 on good health and well-being mission.
31 as a significant global moment to derserved and vulnerable children. and SDG 4 on quality education, re- Throughout the discussions,
advance awareness around childhood “Forty-nine years ago, this mission inforcing the argument that child eye speakers stressed that eliminating
vision, education, and health equity, began with one simple belief—that no health is a cross-cutting development childhood blindness requires moving
while renewing calls for coordinated child should go blind because of pov- issue. beyond isolated charitable interven-
international action to eliminate pre- erty or lack of access,” said Dr. V. K. Addressing the audience, Lord tions toward sustained institutional
ventable blindness among children. Raju, Founder and Visionary Lead- Rami Ranger underlined the moral partnerships. Integrating eye care into
The commemoration was chaired er of EFA, addressing the gathering. and policy urgency of the cause. He public health systems, strengthening
by Lord Rami Ranger, Member of the “Today, that belief has become a glob- said the House of Lords stood not local capacity, and mobilising corpo-
House of Lords, and brought together al responsibility. Childhood blindness only as a symbol of governance and rate and philanthropic engagement
a diverse group of global voices who is preventable, and together, we have tradition, but also of conscience and at scale were repeatedly identified as
stressed that child eye health must be the power to end it.” global responsibility. “A world with- essential steps.
treated as a core public health and Speakers noted that the Interna- out childhood blindness is not an as- EFA’s approach—combining
development priority rather than a tional Day for a World Without Child- piration—it is an achievable goal if clinical excellence, training, commu-
peripheral issue. hood Blindness draws attention to the governments, philanthropy, and civil nity-based screening, and global part-
The Eye Foundation of America reality that more than 90 per cent of a society act together,” he said. nerships—was cited as a model for
traces its origins to a single eye camp child’s learning depends on vision, yet The event featured participation delivering sustainable and measurable
organised in Vijayawada, India, in millions of children worldwide con- from several prominent global lead- impact.
1977 by Dr. V. K. Raju. What began as tinue to suffer from avoidable visual ers and experts. Siddharth Chatter- As the organisation approaches its
a local humanitarian effort has since impairment. The consequences, they jee, United Nations Chief in China, 50th year, EFA called on governments
evolved into a global movement span- said, extend far beyond health, affect- spoke about the strong link between to integrate child eye health into na-
ning India, Africa, the United States, ing education outcomes, economic childhood vision, education, and sus- tional health and education strategies,
and the United Kingdom. Over nearly mobility, and long-term social devel- tainable development, while Padma urged corporates to adopt sight resto-
five decades, EFA has implemented opment. Bhushan awardee Dr. Vara Prasad ration as a high-impact CSR priority,
large-scale programmes focused on The observance aligns closely Reddy, Chairman of Shanta Biotech- and appealed to international agen-
prevention, early detection, treatment, with the United Nations Sustainable nics, highlighted the importance of cies to recognise childhood blindness
and long-term health systems strength- Development Goals, particularly innovation, ethical leadership, and as a development emergency.

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