Dr Rohit Khanna, Network Director for public health at the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), has been re-elected as the Regional Chair for the Southeast Region of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).
Founded in 1975, IAPB is a premier eye health body and an alliance of over 250 member organizations worldwide drawn from international charities, eye hospitals, academic institutes, professional bodies and corporate organizations.
As the regional chair for IAPB, Dr Khanna will work closely with stakeholders across the region in coordination with the IAPB global office, to advocate for universal eye health and strengthen regional and national activities for the prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. Regional chairs also serve as IAPB Trustees and thus contribute to the strategy and governance of IAPB globally.
He will work to take forward IAPB’s agenda as a global leader in eye health advocacy, coordinating major campaigns such as World Sight Day (WSD) and leading initiatives like 2030 In Sight, the UN Friends of Vision group, VISION 2020 and Vision for the Commonwealth.
Dr Rohit C Khanna, the Network Director for the Public Health Unit of LVPEI – The Gullapalli Pratibha Rao International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care has a vast experience leading capacity building initiatives and consulting for both national and global organisations, such as IAPB and World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr Khanna has led multiple studies, including the cohort of Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS) – a milestone study. He has to his credit over 200 peer-reviewed publications, is on the editorial boards of several journals, and has been awarded several prestigious research grants for his work focusing on studying the outcomes of different interventions as well as on geriatric and child eye health. His areas of clinical interest are cataract and glaucoma.
