Collaboration between Public Health Department and World Health Organization

Mumbai, March 8: A concerted effort is underway to raise awareness about eye health, extend quality yet affordable eye-care services, and deliver treatments in backward and tribal districts like Gadchiroli. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the “SPECS 2030” project—spearheaded by the State Public Health Department in collaboration with the World Health Organization will lead to better education for children, job opportunities for youth, and an overall improvement in the community’s quality of life.

The CM called for the SPECS 2030 initiative to be implemented in Gadchiroli district by the WHO. He added that with this initiative, Gadchiroli’s Aheri taluka would become a national model for eye health services.

Under the scheme, titled “SPECS 2030 One Site Program”, the State Health Department, along with the OneSight-Luxottica Foundation and WHO, will launch operations in Gadchiroli and four other underserved districts across India. The program will run under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) framework.

Globally, 2.2 billion people suffer from vision disorders, and at least 1 billion cases are preventable. In India, approximately 53% of vision impairment originates from correctable refractive errors, affecting one in every ten schoolchildren. In response, the WHO launched the SPECS 2030 initiative, aiming to ensure affordable, quality spectacles for all by 2030.

In Gadchiroli as well as selected regions in Assam (Dhubri), Odisha (Kalahandi), Rajasthan (Alwar), and Uttar Pradesh (Prayagraj) the program will adopt the “Asha Kiran Model”. Under this model, ASHA workers will conduct baseline eye screenings door-to-door, distribute spectacles at health centers, and facilitate cataract surgeries in government hospitals.

The initiative will also include training of local health workers, community awareness campaigns, school- and Gram Panchayat-level health dialogues, outreach through local organizations and media, and data collection to assess program effectiveness.