Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced that eye health would be integrated into the national Health Insurance Program.

PM Oli said so while inaugurating the international conference named '2030 In Sight Live Nepal' organized by various health organizations including the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

The event is a gathering of leaders, innovators and policy-makers where they deliberate on measures, collaborative initiatives and actions to achieve the goals outlined in 2030 In Sight Strategy to ensure that eye health is available to everyone by 2030.

On the occasion PM Oli reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthen the primary healthcare system and achieve the SDGs.

Oli reiterated that the government prioritizes eye health and thus is going to integrate it in the national insurance program. He also highlighted the government's prioritization of eye-care services, especially for those people at the risk of losing their vision.

The PM acknowledged the pivotal role played by the 'Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness' survey conducted in 2022 in shaping the country's eye-health priorities.

Furthermore, he informed that the National Health Sector strategy that has outlined the commitment to expand the coverage of cataract surgery from the current 35-45 percent to 75 percent by 2030.

Stating that no country could achieve the desired results in the eye health sector, the PM, thus, called for a greater global collaboration.

He asserted that the incumbent government had recognized eye health as an important aspect of the public healthcare system, he shed light on the government's initiatives such as eye-screening tests and imparting nursing programs at school level, and that he had contributed in promoting gender equity and gender access to education.