Context
Pakistan is ranked 150th out of 188 countries in the UNDP Human Development Index (2018) making it a developing country with nearly 40% of the population living below the income poverty line.
It is estimated that around 4 million children in Pakistan have uncorrected refractive error and require glasses. Yet, they do not have an easy access to eye tests or glasses due to lack of availability of eye health services and lack of understanding of eye health among parents and teachers alike. Research shows correcting poor vision results in a greater impact on academic performances than any other health intervention. Yet eye health screeening has not been a priority.
Supported project
In 2020, L'OCCITANE Ireland and the Foundation are supporting SightSavers in its project to combat preventable childhood blindness in Pakistan. The aim is to run a a project entitled School Health Intergrated Programming (SHIP).
By screening children in schools, we can identify children early and ensure they receive the right treatment, so that they have an equal opportunity to achieve in school. By increasing understanding of eye health within schools and communities we will, in turn, improve wider understanding of eye health which will benefit future generations of children.
Some figures
Budget 20.000 euros
Result 82,691 beneficiaries
History
Project supported since 2019
L'OCCITANE Ireland and the L'OCCITANE Foundation have supported CBM's projects to improve child eyehealth care in numerous countries since 2019.
In 2019, L’OCCITANE Ireland and the Foundation supported SightSavers in its project to fight preventable childhood blindness in Nigeria. The aim was to improve the eye care system by defining health infrastructure for around 8 million children in Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara states who are particularly suffering from a shortage of eye specialists.
