Prime Minister Gaston Browne Champions Universal Eye Health; Announces 2026 Global Summit on Eye Health
Prime Minister the Honourable Gaston Browne on Wednesday convened and addressed “The Value of Vision: The Case for Investment” United Nations Friends of Vision side-event calling for urgent, investable action to end avoidable vision loss and unlock major social and economic gains worldwide.
Recalling the landmark 2021 UN Resolution “Vision for Everyone,” co-sponsored by Bangladesh, Ireland, and Antigua and Barbuda and endorsed by more than 100 nations, Prime Minister Browne warned that global progress remains too slow, with millions still unable to learn, work, or live with dignity due to uncorrected or untreated vision impairment.
“This is not only a human tragedy—it is an economic one,” Prime Minister Browne said. “Investing in eye health is not charity; it is smart economics. It is a direct path to productivity, prosperity, and resilience—especially for small states like Antigua and Barbuda.”
Citing a new investment study released on Wednesday by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), Seva Foundation, and the Fred Hollows Foundation, the Prime Minister highlighted the global dividends of scaling vision care for one billion people living with preventable or treatable vision loss, including:
- US$447 billion in annual economic returns
- 22 million new jobs
- 13 million additional school years for children
- 320,000 more years of life lived
- Reductions in road accidents, depression, and unpaid care burdens
To convert momentum into measurable outcomes, Prime Minister Browne announced that Antigua and Barbuda will host the first-ever Global Summit on Eye Health in 2026.
“This summit will not be another talk shop,” he emphasized. “It will be a platform where leaders, partners, the private sector, and civil society commit to tangible, time-bound action—restoring sight, restoring potential, and restoring hope.”
The Prime Minister urged governments, investors, and development partners to align policies and portfolios with universal eye-health goals and to prioritize innovation, data, and delivery at scale.
“The choice is stark,” he concluded. “Either we allow vision loss to keep robbing the world of talent and productivity—or we act decisively and reap the dividends that are right in front of us. The time for talking has passed. Now is the time for action.”
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