Countess boosts vision campaign

Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex has become patron of Vision 2020, the World Health Organisation's mission to eliminate unnecessary blindness worldwide. Mike Whitlam, chief executive officer of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), said: 'When we met earlier this year, Her Royal Highness expressed enormous enthusiasm and support for Vision 2020. With her help we will be able to tackle the problem of the millions of people who are needlessly blind around the world.' He said he was looking forward to working with her to raise the profile of the campaign. Vision 2020, which is being backed by the IAPB, and a coalition of international governmental organisations, was launched in 1999, giving itself 21 years to reach its target.