WHO letter to CBM: together, we can do more
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Dr. Margaret Chan
Director-general of WHO
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Dear Professor Foster
“We are fortunate to have Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM) as a Non-governmental Organisation in official relations with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and as a founding member of VISION 2020. CBM has worked with WHO for 20 years to promote health services for under-served people in our world, particularly those with disability
Eliminating avoidable blindness by 2020 is the laudable goal of VISION2020-the Right to Sight, and your admirable international work is helping contribute to the achievement of this goal. It is an ambitious goal-yet one that is within reach, if governments, health professionals and non-governmental organisations work together in this common cause.
It is profoundly sad when a child is deprived of the chance to experience the world in the same rich way as those blessed with the gift of sight, and for adults, blindness can bring poverty and social exclusion, not to mention an increased strain on family already struggling under poverty depravation.
I strongly believe that the international community can make a real difference in preventing vision loss for so many people. And even the most modest investments are rewarded with tremendous benefits in terms of enhanced independence, quality of life and alleviation
CBM has been at the forefront of the joint WHO of the joint WHO-IAPB, VISON 2020 initiative working in more than 100 countries and I admire the work of CBM and the many dedicated people that last year brought practical support to over 18 million people to prevent or treat visual, hearing, physical, and mental impairments.
Yet, at the same time, we cannot be complacent and ignore those who lack the advantages we enjoy. The millions of children and adults around the world who continue to be deprived of basic eye care and sight restoration measures. Vision 2020 is about those people, and it is about our collective capacity to make a difference.
In conclusion, I am delighted to extend my warmest congratulations to CBM staff and partners around the world as your organization marks 100 years of experience and excellence.
This is certainly an occasion to celebrate with CBM and an opportunity to encourage you to do yet more to promote the rights of persons with disability and to work with governments to improve the access and availability of health care to people with disability,
As your motto says and as you have demonstrated….
Together we can do more… … …
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Margaret Chan
Director-general
“We are fortunate to have Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM) as a Non-governmental Organisation in official relations with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and as a founding member of VISION 2020. CBM has worked with WHO for 20 years to promote health services for under-served people in our world, particularly those with disability
Eliminating avoidable blindness by 2020 is the laudable goal of VISION2020-the Right to Sight, and your admirable international work is helping contribute to the achievement of this goal. It is an ambitious goal-yet one that is within reach, if governments, health professionals and non-governmental organisations work together in this common cause.
It is profoundly sad when a child is deprived of the chance to experience the world in the same rich way as those blessed with the gift of sight, and for adults, blindness can bring poverty and social exclusion, not to mention an increased strain on family already struggling under poverty depravation.
I strongly believe that the international community can make a real difference in preventing vision loss for so many people. And even the most modest investments are rewarded with tremendous benefits in terms of enhanced independence, quality of life and alleviation
CBM has been at the forefront of the joint WHO of the joint WHO-IAPB, VISON 2020 initiative working in more than 100 countries and I admire the work of CBM and the many dedicated people that last year brought practical support to over 18 million people to prevent or treat visual, hearing, physical, and mental impairments.
Yet, at the same time, we cannot be complacent and ignore those who lack the advantages we enjoy. The millions of children and adults around the world who continue to be deprived of basic eye care and sight restoration measures. Vision 2020 is about those people, and it is about our collective capacity to make a difference.
In conclusion, I am delighted to extend my warmest congratulations to CBM staff and partners around the world as your organization marks 100 years of experience and excellence.
This is certainly an occasion to celebrate with CBM and an opportunity to encourage you to do yet more to promote the rights of persons with disability and to work with governments to improve the access and availability of health care to people with disability,
As your motto says and as you have demonstrated….
Together we can do more… … …
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Margaret Chan
Director-general
