WHO recognizes Asha Kirana initiative as blueprint for global vision care
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the Asha Kirana initiative in Karnataka, India, as a model for advancing global vision care. The initiative aims to improve access to and quality of eye care services for citizens.
OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is marking the World Health Organization's (WHO) recognition of the Asha Kirana initiative in Karnataka, India, as a model for advancing global vision care. A WHO report, "Advancing Integrated, People-Centered Eye Care," highlights Asha Kirana as an example of how government leadership, supported by strong public-private partnerships and philanthropic efforts, can expand integrated eye care and drive systemic change.
The Asha Kirana initiative, launched by the Karnataka government to address barriers to vision care, has evolved from a pilot program into a statewide public health effort. It brings care closer to communities through a three-tier model: ASHA community health workers conduct screenings, Drishti Kendras vision centers provide comprehensive eye exams and dispense glasses, and referrals are made to district hospitals for cataract surgery and complex eye conditions.
OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation has partnered with the Karnataka government as a technical partner, providing expertise, capacity building, equipment, and infrastructure support for the initiative. Asha Kirana has transitioned from a proof of concept to an institutionalized model for integrated, people-centered eye care within the public health system.
The program has established 393 permanent vision centers, trained 40,000 ASHA workers for community screenings, reached over 14 million people, and provided more than 450,000 pairs of eyeglasses. Over 250,000 cataract surgeries have been facilitated. Karnataka Health Minister U. T. Khader Fareed highlighted the initiative's role in India's aim to be blindness-free and thanked the foundation. WHO representative Dr. Mohammed Asheel noted that Asha Kirana offers valuable lessons on operationalizing WHO's principles in resource-constrained settings.