Antigua and Barbuda to Host First Global Summit for Eye Health in November 2026
Key Takeaways
Antigua and Barbuda will host the first-ever Global Summit for Eye Health on November 2, 2026, bringing together global leaders, ministers and business figures to prioritize vision care
The Summit will focus on Act, Allocate, Accelerate—driving commitments to integrate eye health into national plans, increase sustainable financing and scale proven solutions
The event is hosted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda with technical collaboration from WHO and support from IAPB
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that twin-island nation will host the first Global Summit for Eye Health on November 2, 2026.
Making the announcement during a reception at St James’s Palace in London, Mr. Browne addressed attendees via video link and issued a global call for action. He invited Heads of Government, ministers, and business leaders to gather in St John’s to place eye health firmly on the global development agenda.
“This is not only a profound human challenge–it is an economic one,” Mr. Browne said. “Because the evidence is clear: expanding access to vision care would create millions of jobs and unlock substantial gains in education, productivity and wellbeing. Investing in eye health is not charity. It is an investment in inclusive growth, resilience and shared prosperity–particularly for small states like Antigua and Barbuda.”
The London reception was hosted by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). The event brought together international dignitaries and leaders from the eye health sector to mark the official launch of the summit.
Through her work with IAPB, the Duchess has engaged directly with eye health programs, practitioners and beneficiaries worldwide, highlighting the life-changing impact of restoring sight and strengthening health systems.
The Global Summit for Eye Health will focus on advancing progress under three pillars: Act, Allocate, Accelerate. The framework aims to catalyse commitments from governments and partners to integrate eye health into national development plans, increase sustainable financing, and scale proven solutions that expand access to care.
The summit is being hosted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, in technical collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and with support from IAPB. Organisers say the event will serve as both a moment of accountability and a platform for ambition, challenging leaders to translate commitments into measurable progress for communities around the world.
Speaking from Geneva via video link, Dévora Kestel, Director a.i. of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at WHO, noted that eye health has gained increasing prominence on the global health agenda.
“The agenda of eye care has gained significant momentum in recent years, with the adoption of United Nations and World Health Assembly resolutions,” Kestel said. “The Global Summit on Eye Health provides an opportunity to support the translation of these global commitments into country action.”
Peter Holland, Chief Executive of IAPB, said the summit comes at a critical moment for the sector, five years after the landmark UN Resolution on Vision.
“Five years on from the UN Resolution on Vision, the Summit will focus on practical commitments that expand access to affordable, quality eye care services and strengthen health systems to meet rising demand,” Holland said.
He added that convening leaders in Antigua and Barbuda is intended to spur concrete pledges and measurable outcomes.
“By bringing leaders together in Antigua and Barbuda we hope that countries, businesses and civil society make formal public commitments to take specific actions, allocate resources, or achieve measurable targets in pursuit of our shared goal of ending avoidable sight loss,” Holland said. “We hope the Summit will serve as a clear expression of political and organisational will, providing a benchmark for accountability long into the future.”
Originally published online on Eyewire+.