BELIZE CITY, Belize, March 11, 2026 — Belize has made a major move to guarantee all residents access to quality, affordable eye care by officially launching the World Health Organization’s (WHO) SPECS 2030 initiative.
Representatives from the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI), OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, World Health Organization, and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) gathered at the national launch and planning workshop. Attendees evaluated Belize’s current eye health services, pinpointed deficiencies, and mapped out a definitive way ahead.
“Through launching the WHO SPECS 2030 initiative, Belize strengthens its pledge to ensure every citizen can obtain quality eye care. Preventable vision problems shouldn’t restrict a child’s education, someone’s employment capacity, or anyone’s quality of life. By adopting this initiative, we’re reinforcing our national goal of building a stronger, fairer health system that includes everyone,” stated Hon. Kevin Bernard, Minister for Health and Wellness.
WHO’s SPECS 2030 initiative offers nations a systematic method to enhance refractive error services in five key domains:
- Services — expanding access to refractive services
- Personnel — developing staff capabilities to deliver refractive services
- Education — raising public consciousness about eye health
- Cost — lowering expenses for eyeglasses and services
- Surveillance — enhancing data gathering and research
For Belize, this initiative establishes three distinct national priorities.
First, assembling all pertinent eye health stakeholders from both public and private sectors to reach consensus on national priorities and primary action areas. Second, creating a SPECS 2030 integration plan featuring quantifiable goals that can be incorporated into Belize’s wider health and eye care strategies. Third, setting up a monitoring and evaluation system to monitor advancement, periodically assess data, and continuously enhance services.
“Belize is showing how international frameworks such as WHO SPECS 2030 can be converted into tangible, nationally-driven action. Our Foundation’s contribution involves supporting technical execution — from bolstering refractive services to developing local expertise and refining service delivery approaches. We’re honored to support Belize as it moves toward a more unified and accessible eye care system,” remarked Daniele Cangemi, Head of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for Latin America.
Advancement will be evaluated using a specific set of metrics, submitted every three to five years via the WHO Global Status Report. These metrics encompass the extent of school eye health programs for early identification, the presence of refractive services within the public health infrastructure, the scale and breadth of the eye care workforce, and the level of cost coverage through health insurance or alternative financial safeguards. At the outcomes level, Belize will monitor effective cataract surgical coverage and effective refractive error coverage using population surveys and health system information.
“Our Ministry embraces the WHO SPECS 2030 initiative from BCVI and MOHW, developed with PAHO and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation. We remain dedicated to deepening our partnership with BCVI and MOHW as we collaborate to prevent preventable blindness and broaden support services through current Primary Care and Rehabilitation Programs for blind children. The Ministry commends and celebrates BCVI for its continuous devotion to Belize’s visually impaired population,” noted Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science and Technology.
BCVI, in collaboration with MOHW, the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, and the initiative’s domestic and international partners, will spearhead coordination and follow-through to guarantee that workshop commitments result in substantial real-world advancement.
The SPECS 2030 launch demonstrates Belize’s dedication to universal health coverage and to a future where no Belizean forfeits their capacity to learn, work, or flourish due to a correctable vision condition.
About the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is a registered charity focused on eradicating uncorrected poor vision within one generation. As part of EssilorLuxottica’s pledge to universal vision care, the Foundation strives to increase access for millions in underserved global communities. It also serves as the Global Collaborating Partner for the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative, which concentrates on refractive error, myopia prevention, and enhancing vision care access in resource-limited environments.
Learn more at: onesight.essilorluxottica.com
About the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired
The Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI) is a national nonprofit committed to preventing blindness and delivering comprehensive eye care services.
Founded in 1981, BCVI partners with the Ministry of Health & Wellness to provide accessible, affordable, high-quality eye care nationwide.
Through its clinic network and outreach programs, BCVI offers services such as eye examinations, refractive error services, eye disease treatment, and rehabilitation assistance for those permanently blind.
Targeted initiatives concentrate on children, diabetic patients, and underserved populations, guaranteeing that every Belizean can obtain essential eye care and independent living support.
BCVI works with domestic and international partners to fortify Belize’s eye health system and promote fair service access for everyone.
Additional information available at: www.bcvi.org
For additional details, please contact:
Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI)
Carla Ayres Musa, Executive Director
cmusa.bcvi@gmail.com
OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
Tamana Mulchand, Communications & Awareness Manager
tamana.mulchand@essilor.com
