UN leaders discuss cost of sight loss

World leaders at a UN meeting heard that unaddressed poor sight costs the global economy $411bn in lost productivity each year.

Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, hosted the meeting with the UN Friends of Vision Group on September 21.

‘We must focus more of our collective action on health and development initiatives which are achievable and can accelerate progress across the sustainable development goals. Healthy vision is one of those issues, but we must prioritise it more. It can be solved this decade,’ PM Browne said.

The meeting focused on raising the profile of eye health as a fundamental development issue critical to achieving sustainable development goals.