WHO names Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh public health champion for 2026
Summary
The World Health Organization has named Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh a 2026 South-East Asia Regional Award for Public Health Champions recipient for its work reducing avoidable blindness and expanding equitable eye-care services. The award will be presented in Dili, Timor-Leste, in September 2026.
Key Points
- WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Office selected Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh for its 2026 Public Health Champions award.
- NNJS was recognized for nearly five decades of work to eliminate avoidable blindness through eye hospitals, vision centers, outreach programs, and primary health integration.
- The organization has provided more than 46.8 million outpatient consultations and 5.39 million eye surgeries.
- WHO said blindness prevalence in Nepal fell from 0.84 percent in 1981 to 0.28 percent in 2020/21, aided by NNJS’s people-centered approach.
