The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) held a regional webinar to officially launch the WHO SPECS 2030 Initiative (Services, Personnel, Education, Costs, and Surveillance for refractive error interventions) in the Region of the Americas. The event brought together health authorities, technical experts, and country representatives to discuss the regional context of eye health, share experiences, and plan the next steps for implementing the initiative at the national level.
The SPECS 2030 initiative, introduced by WHO in May 2024, seeks to accelerate global progress toward achieving a 40-percentage point increase in effective refractive error coverage by 2030 — a target endorsed by the 74th World Health Assembly. It promotes coordinated multi-sectoral action involving governments, professional societies, and civil society organizations to ensure equitable access to eye care services worldwide.
In the Americas, approximately 21% of individuals with refractive errors still lack access to eyeglasses due to economic and logistical barriers. Despite having a strong base of trained professionals and primary health care infrastructure, the uneven distribution of optometrists and ophthalmologists remains a challenge. PAHO’s Director of Health Systems and Services, Dr. James Fitzgerald, emphasized the urgent need to scale up efforts, highlighting that universal access to eyeglasses may not be achieved before the end of the century without accelerated action. He underscored that improving vision not only enhances health but also strengthens education, productivity, and social inclusion.
SPECS 2030 focuses on five key areas to boost refractive error coverage — integrating eye health into primary care, investing in workforce training, expanding affordable access to spectacles, strengthening surveillance systems, and raising public awareness to prevent vision loss. Paraguay was highlighted as the first country in the Americas to launch SPECS 2030, following years of progress in national eye health programs. Its implementation is organized around five technical groups addressing the initiative’s core areas, ensuring sustainability and comprehensive action.
WHO Advisor Dr. Stuart Keel outlined a five-step approach for countries adopting SPECS 2030: gaining political commitment, conducting a situation analysis using WHO tools, convening stakeholders, developing a detailed work plan, and monitoring progress through regular reviews. PAHO and WHO encouraged Member States to seek technical support for developing national roadmaps, participate in the Global SPECS Network, and promote collaboration across sectors to ensure universal eye health coverage by 2030.
