The Vision Catalyst Fund and World Bank Group launch landmark eye health partnership

The Vision Catalyst Fund and World Bank partnership aims to transform how eye health is financed globally.

A new partnership between the World Bank and the Vision Catalyst Fund, working alongside leading global eye health organisations, aims to transform how eye health is financed by helping countries move from short-term projects to sustainable, nationally led investment at scale. By linking catalytic philanthropic capital with government priorities and development finance, the initiative will support countries in integrating eye care into health systems and positioning vision as a driver of economic growth, jobs, education, and human capital development.

Developed through the World Bank’s Health Transformation and Resilience Multi-Donor Trust Fund, the partnership will help countries unlock greater investment through catalytic financing. It will be formally announced today at the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)’s 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE event in Nairobi, Kenya.

Despite accounting for up to 10% of patient consultations in some settings, eye health receives less than 1% of health budgets in many low- and middle-income countries. The result is a striking mismatch: proven, cost-effective solutions exist, but financing has not yet matched the scale of need. More than one billion people live with avoidable vision loss, with far-reaching consequences for education, workforce participation, and productivity.

Adam Askew, Chief Executive of the Vision Catalyst Fund, said:

“Eye care is one of the most cost-effective investments in development, with clear and immediate returns for individuals, communities, and economies. The challenge is not evidence; it is financing. What we are building with the World Bank is a model that can unlock significantly larger investment by working through national systems and budgets, moving from short-term projects to long-term, sustainable financing at scale.”

This shift toward financing at scale reflects the World Bank’s broader focus on linking health to economic outcomes.

Monique Vledder, Global Director, Health, Nutrition and Population, said:

“Expanding access to essential health services is fundamental to building human capital and driving inclusive economic growth. This partnership shows how we can support countries to strengthen health systems in ways that improve productivity, support jobs, and deliver long-term development outcomes. Eye health is an important example of how targeted investments can contribute to broader system-wide impact.”

Catalytic investment to unlock scale

The partnership has been made possible by early Vanguard investment from CBM, Cure Blindness Project and The Fred Hollows Foundation, who have each committed catalytic funding through the Vision Catalyst Fund to help establish the platform and move the model into its first phase.

Together, Vanguard partners have committed over $2 million to support the development of a new financing pathway for eye health. Their investment is designed to do more than fund activity directly: it provides the early capital needed to engage countries, build the evidence base, and unlock larger flows of financing through governments, the World Bank and aligned funding streams.

This shared commitment reflects a clear belief across the sector that lasting progress will only be achieved by working through national systems, aligning with government priorities, and embedding eye care within broader health and development programmes.

Dr Rainer Brockhaus, Chief Executive of CBM, said:

“Lasting change in eye health will only come when services are fully integrated into national systems and financed through sustainable domestic and international mechanisms. Our investment in the Vision Catalyst Fund is about helping to unlock that shift, supporting governments and partners to move from project-based delivery to long-term, system-wide impact.”

K-T Overby, CEO of Cure Blindness Project, added:

“We have seen what is possible through direct service delivery, but the scale of unmet need requires a different approach. By working through governments and alongside the World Bank, this model creates a pathway to reach millions more people, while strengthening the systems that will sustain that impact over time.”

Ross Piper, CEO of The Fred Hollows Foundation, said:

“This is about moving beyond what individual organisations can achieve on their own. By aligning catalytic funding with government leadership and World Bank financing, we can help ensure that eye care becomes a core part of national health systems reaching more people, more sustainably, and at scale."

Global momentum and leadership

The initiative builds toward the 2026 Global Summit for Eye Health in Antigua and Barbuda, which will bring together Heads of State, Ministers of Finance and Health, and development partners to secure political and financial commitments.

Peter Holland, CEO of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, said:

“Eye health is a clear development ‘best buy’, delivering returns across education, employment, and economic growth. This partnership with the World Bank is a major step toward ensuring eye care is fully integrated into national development strategies and financing frameworks.”

Andrew Bastawrous, Co-founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund, said:

“The River Blindness statue at the World Bank is more than a monument. It is a reminder of what becomes possible when the world refuses to accept avoidable suffering as inevitable.  It tells a story of partnership, persistence, and progress across generations.

What we are building together now is the next chapter of that story. The solutions for avoidable sight loss already exist, but they still remain out of reach for too many people. By working with governments, aligning financing, and embedding eye health within national systems, we have a chance to turn proven solutions into lasting change.

This is about moving from knowing what works to making it work for everyone, at scale, and for the long term as a permanent part of how health systems help people learn, work, and thrive.”