World Health Organization Applauds OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and Karnataka Government's Visionary Asha Kirana Initiative

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Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 21: Celebrating World Sight Day (8th October) in India, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, Government of Karnataka and World Health Organization released a report titled ‘Advancing integrated, people-centred eye-care,’ today.  The Report highlighted the integration of ‘Asha Kirana’ as a specialized services into primary health infrastructure in Karnataka.  The document summarised the phased studies conducted from 2022 up till now, comprising a total of eight districts in Karnataka: 14 million primary screenings were conducted, over 4.5 lakh free spectacles provided, and more than 2.5 lakh cataract surgeries were performed during this period. Most importantly, the document spotlit the institutionalisation of 393 vision centres (Drishti Kendras) as a permanent part of the state health system to deliver integrated, community-anchored eye health services at scale, focusing on equity, clinical quality, and sustainability. Each of these vision centres have been mapped to secondary surgical centres to address advanced intervention, such as cataract surgery or specialized management of complex ocular pathologies, thereby providing holistic eye care management in the State.

With the shared commitment of providing equitable eye care, the Report was released by Hon’ble Minister of Health, Government of Karnataka, Shri U T Khader Fareed in the presence of Venu Ambati, President Greater India, EssilorLuxottica and Director, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, and Dr B Mohammed Asheel, National Professional Officer, Non-Communicable Diseases, WHO India (online presence).  

Speaking at the release, Shri U T Khader Fareed, Hon’ble Minister of Health, Government of Karnataka, said, “We are proud to be one of the few progressive States in India with a clear vision of becoming blindness-free.  Our systematic approach towards addressing access to healthy vision is now a documented case study for a holistic approach to eyecare in India. The 393 Drishti Kendras spread across community health centres, taluka hospitals and district hospitals are in line with the mission of Asha Kirana:to prevent and mitigate avoidable blindness and visual impairment in Karnataka state by addressing the two conditions responsible for most of the avoidable vision loss, uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts. We are thankful to the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for partnering with us in our journey towards institutionalizing Asha Kirana- a successful model of integrating eye care in the public health system."

Additionally, the Hon’ble Minister stated, “The OneSight Foundation has been consistently working with Asha Kiranas, developing their skill, capability and knowledge towards delivering universal, community-based door-to-door vision screenings and reducing avoidable blindness across the region.  I am pleased to note that the World Sight Day 2026 celebrations will witness 40,000 Asha Kiranas receiving free sunglasses from the Foundation.  To mark this occasion, the Foundation had organised a Blind Walk from the Vidhan Saudha that includes participation from citizens from all walks of life. I congratulate the OneSight Foundation for their concerted efforts towards moving vision forward.” 

Venu Ambati, President, Greater India, EssilorLuxottica and Director, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, said, "We are proud, through our foundation OneSight, to partner with the Government of Karnataka in our journey towards providing equitable eye care. The success of the Asha Kirana model in Karnataka, along with the 393 Drishti Kendra is a proof point of scalability: from a state innovation to a globally replicable model.  In line with our commitment towards building a healthier vision, we look forward to partnering with States for a potential roll out of Asha Kirana as a model for national programme implementation.  States could be encouraged to adopt the core principles of the WHO’s Integrated Patient-centred Eye-care while working on community-anchored screening through health worker networks, and the setup of permanent vision centres, as part of the primary healthcare mechanism.  We continue to remain thankful to the State of Karnataka for co-creating this model and are proud that the WHO has, through this Report, documented the steps that each State can take to build a collaborative ecosystem that encourages holistic eye care management.”

Dr Mohammed Asheel, Country Focal Point, Eye care, WHO India said, "The significance of Asha Kirana extends far beyond eye care in Karnataka. The initiative provides an example of how WHO’s vision for Integrated People-Centred Eye Care (IPEC) can be operationalised in a resource-constrained setting. Asha Kirana demonstrates how these principles can be translated into operational strategies, including community-based service delivery, workforce empowerment, the use of technology to strengthen accountability, targeted approaches to equity, and the creation of enabling environments. The model illustrates the importance of systems thinking, political commitment, and the translation of policy principles into operational mechanisms. For this reason, Asha Kirana offers valuable lessons for documentation, learning, and adaptation in other settings. It illustrates how WHO frameworks can be translated from policy into implementation within a public health programme.”

About OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation

The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is committed to expanding sustainable access to vision care in underserved communities worldwide. Inspired by EssilorLuxottica's mission to Empower Humans, the Foundation provides free eye exams and glasses, strengthens local vision care systems, and partners with NGOs, governments, and like-minded organizations to deliver scalable, long-term solutions. As the first Global Collaborating Partner of the World Health Organization's SPECS 2030 initiative, the Foundation supports the integration of vision care into primary healthcare systems and advances progress toward universal access. To date, its work has reached more than 140 countries and enabled access to vision care for over one billion people.

About World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations' specialized agency for health. WHO India works closely with the Government of India and state governments to strengthen health systems, advance Universal Health Coverage, and improve health outcomes across the country. The WHO Country Office for India is headquartered in New Delhi and has a nationwide presence.

Website: www.who.int/india

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