Vision Ability Zimbabwe (VAZ), in partnership with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS), commemorated World Sight Day 2026 by taking essential eye health services directly to correctional institutions in Harare. The commemorations reached 595 inmates at Harare Central Prison and Chikurubi Maximum Prison, providing eye screening, eye health education, reading glasses for those who required them, and referral for individuals needing further assessment and treatment. The initiative was anchored on a simple but powerful principle: no population should be invisible in the delivery of eye health services.
People in correctional institutions can face particular barriers to accessing routine health services, including eye care. Yet good vision remains essential to reading, learning, communication, rehabilitation, independence and overall quality of life. By bringing services directly into correctional institutions, VAZ and ZPCS demonstrated the importance of reaching populations who may otherwise be left behind by conventional models of service delivery. For some beneficiaries, something as simple as receiving a pair of reading glasses made an immediate difference—restoring their ability to read, engage in daily activities and participate more independently in their environment.
One particularly powerful moment was seeing an inmate smile after receiving reading glasses because he could once again read his Bible clearly. Behind every pair of glasses is a person, a story and an opportunity for renewed participation. The outreach went beyond identifying vision problems. Inmates received practical eye health education on common eye conditions, the importance of early detection, seeking timely treatment and protecting their vision.
Commenting on the initiative, VAZ Executive Director Dr Deborah Tigere emphasised that inclusive eye health requires deliberate efforts to reach people wherever they are:
“No population should be invisible in the delivery of eye health services. Whether in our schools, communities or correctional institutions, everyone deserves the opportunity to see clearly and live with dignity. Better vision changes lives, and inclusive eye health means ensuring that no one is left behind.”
VAZ recognises that achieving universal eye health requires government institutions, health professionals, civil society organisations, communities and development partners to work together to identify and close gaps in access.
Better Vision. Greater Inclusion. No One Left Behind.
Vision Ability Zimbabwe — advancing inclusive eye health and disability-inclusive development in Zimbabwe.