The pandemic may have interrupted progress for a while but hasn’t changed our fundamental mission. We are fighting for a world where no one is blind from avoidable causes, and where people with disabilities can participate equally in society. How has Sightsavers' core mission changed since the COVID-19 pandemic - and how has this affected global health funding? Who would not be inspired? I also love talking to our supporters, who are critical to our success, many of whom have supported us for years and decades. My work has led me to witness mass drug distributions protecting whole villages from the ravages of various NTDs. Speaking with visually impaired children and their parents, I've heard their stories of optimism and confidence as they face the world independently. I’ve met a lot of patients who have received cataract operations, and I challenge anyone not to be incredibly moved watching someone see again for the first time in many years. Harper: It’s incredible knowing that the work we do has an impact on so many people across the world, particularly those living in really difficult circumstances. Global Citizen: What inspires you about your work and the work of Sightsavers? Global Citizen spoke with Harper about Sightsavers’ urgent work and the need for global commitment to health care initiatives worldwide. Caroline Harper has seen the organization transform communities worldwide, and become a major player in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) globally. Since then, the program has helped treat millions of people facing blindness, supporting the delivery of 36 million treatments and managing more than 65,000 advanced trachoma cases.Īs chief executive of Sightsavers since 2005, Dr. Its goal was to eliminate trachoma in 14 countries across the African continent. 2, 2018, world leaders announced the launch of the Accelerate program, led by Sightsavers. In 2018, Global Citizens took 5 million actions to end extreme poverty in the lead up to Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg, South Africa, including actions calling for increased investment in combating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) like trachoma.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |