PRmoment Health Communications Review: #LoveYourEyes this Diwali, World Sight Day

 7th October 2022    Health Comms Review 
 Paarul Chand

PRmoment's weekly 'Healthcare Communications Review' column looks at the biggest healthcare trends every week and analyses the communications implications. In partnership with SPAG, A Finn Partners Company.

12 million people in India suffer from Glaucoma. If caught early, this can be prevented from moving to blindness. 

A fairly cynical reporter from a leading newspaper once told me all diseases have large numbers in India. There is some truth in this. 

While there is perhaps limited 'NEWS' value in the suffering of millions from eye disease that can be treated and its onslaught delayed; for communication experts and the global health ecosystem eye care is directly linked to achieving sustainable development goals.

According to the 'International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness'  or IABP, "The World Health Organization’s World Report on Vision and the UN Resolution on Vision have cemented eye health as critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, change doesn’t just happen in high office.​"

And this is where advocacy experts especially behaviour change communicators come in with the power of working directly with communities. 

What does this mean for communicators?

1) Encourage people to take the 'PLEDGE YOUR SIGHT TEST' a promise to take an eye test and promise to prioritise eye care as outlined by IABC.

Take the Pledge here 

2) With such a critical area of health such as eye care the government of India has put forward 3 clear goals. These include first- early detection and treatment of glaucoma; second-generating of an enabling environment for service delivery and third- resource mobilization for glaucoma service.

3) Communicators can also take note of the steps of advocacy laid out by WHO:

WHO's seven steps for advocacy

Defining the situation

Establishing the goal and objectives

Identifying target audiences

Developing key messages to influence the audiences

Implementing an advocacy plan

Using communication channels

Monitoring and evaluating the advocacy work

In other news:

1 Social enterprises' helping India see better.

2. PE activity in eyecare hots up. As per 'The Ken', "PE-backed chains like ASG and Dr Agarwal’s are buying individual private practices."

Hat tip to 

Gavin S. Herbert, Chair Emeritus, Allergan Inc, founded the first antihistamine eye drop. Allergan, is an AbbVie Company, 

That's it for this week. Special thanks to SPAG, a FINN Partner company for their ongoing support for this weekly column.

News for the column curated by Impact Research and Measurement