New Accreditation Standards for Vision Centres Unveiled by QAI

Delhi, 31.07.2024: To enhance primary eye care services in India, the Quality & Accreditation Institute (QAI) has launched new accreditation standards for Vision Centres (VCs). This initiative has been supported by Orbis, a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness. Seven premier eye care institutes of India were involved in the process. The initiative aims to establish uniform quality standards and improve service delivery outcomes at the primary level, addressing the growing public health concern of eye health.
Eye health has emerged as a critical area in public health, with the World Health Organization(WHO) recognizing it as essential to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in its GlobalAction Plan 2014-19. To meet the goals of UHC, Universal Eye Health Coverage is crucial and can be achieved through Integrated People-Centered Eye Care (IPEC). This approachneces sitates the provision of comprehensive eye care using a health system approach at theprimary level, primarily through the establishment of Vision Centres.

Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, India, Orbis, said, “We are optimistic for the development of accreditation standards for Vision Centres, marking a pivotal moment in primary eye care in India. This initiative underscores our commitment to preventing avoidable blindness and improving the quality of eye care services across the country. By supporting the accreditation of 25 vision centers for our partner eye hospitals, we are taking a significant step toward better eye health for all.”

Sr. BK Rana from QAI, said, “Quality & Accreditation Institute is proud to launch accreditation standards for Vision Centres. By creation of these accreditation standards with the support of Orbis and premier eye institution, we are ensuring that Vision Centres can deliver uniform and high-quality eye care services at the primary level. This will undoubtedly improve service delivery outcomes and contribute to better eye health across India.”

India’s vision for eye health is ambitious yet necessary. During its 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-2017), the country aimed to establish 5,000 vision centers to provide comprehensive primary eye care at the community level. With a current population of 1.45 billion, India now requires approximately 30,000 Vision Centres to meet the demand, as recommended by VISION 2020:
The Right to Sight. The diverse service and process standards across these centers have highlighted the urgent need for standardized accreditation to ensure consistent and high- quality care.

The newly launched standards are designed to address these challenges. They lay down criteria and requirements to define systems, processes, and performance measurements, enabling Vision Centres to comply with these standards. This standardization is expected to significantly enhance the quality of services provided, ensuring uniformity and reliability across different centers.

The formulation of these standards involved a comprehensive process, including the creation of a Technical Experts Group, facilitated by QAI, to finalize the scope of services for VCs and the eligibility criteria for assessors. The draft standards were reviewed by the technical group and made available for public feedback, ensuring an inclusive approach.

The launch of these accreditation standards coincides with Orbis’s 25th anniversary in India, this initiative is set to transform primary eye care services, ensuring that all Vision Centres provide the highest quality of care to those in need.