GOS 2025 Hackathon
Groups came together to problem-solve, have thought-provoking conversations, and crowd-source solutions for the following issues:
From Policy to Program – National Eye Health Integration
Country X has recently adopted a National Eye Health Policy that recognizes eye health as essential to universal health coverage and commits to reducing avoidable blindness by 2030. However, the policy remains largely aspirational with limited implementation mechanisms or budget allocation. You are part of a working group tasked by the Ministry of Health to translate this national policy into an actionable, district-level program for one region with a high cataract burden and low service access. Consider the following: governance, financing, and accountability systems needed to implement the policy at scale; the roles of task-shifting, mobile outreach, or digital systems in execution; ways to advocate for resources from national and international stakeholders; and which metrics to track to demonstrate early wins and build momentum.
Advocacy for Access – Rebuilding Eye Care Systems After Crisis
Country X has recently experienced a humanitarian crisis (e.g., conflict, natural disaster), disrupting its fragile health system, including eye care services. International organizations have been delivering short-term mobile eye camps, but there is no long-term strategy. You are tasked with the development of a policy and advocacy strategy for rebuilding equitable eye care systems post-crisis—one that prioritizes capacity-building, government buy-in, and sustainable infrastructure. Consider the following: how to advocate for eye care as part of health system recovery planning; how to balance short-term service delivery with long-term capacity-building; the roles of international NGOs, local governments, and affected communities; and how to ensure equity for displaced populations and marginalized groups.
Sustainability
The Ministry of Health in Country X is creating its first National Climate & Health Strategy, and your team has been asked to propose how eye health can be embedded in this strategy. Rising temperatures and changing vector patterns are increasing the prevalence and causes blindness in certain regions, while the need for clinical and surgical care increases waste. You are tasked with the development of a national or subnational plan for climate-resilient eye health, including prevention, workforce adaptation, and infrastructure design. Consider the following: how eye care services be made climate-resilient (e.g., supply chain, facility design, outreach models); the co-benefits of eye health for climate resilience (e.g., reducing disability); how to position eye health in climate and public health advocacy; the policies or funding streams can you tap into (domestic or global); how do you get buy-in from stakeholders and healthcare team; and the cost and return on investment of these efforts as well as the financial sustainability of adapting the system to meet needs.
