The PAHO/WHO Prevention Blindness Program strongly urges governments to either establish a permanent organizational framework or strengthen the existing planning and administrative mechanism. This would enable full and effective coordination of efforts at the national level and constant monitoring of progress in achieving the goals of the national plan for the promotion of eye health and the prevention of blindness and eye care. The concept of National Programmes for the Prevention of Blindness cannot be successfully translated into action without the close collaboration and direct involvement of policy and decision makers, relevan government departments, professional ophthalmologists, and NGOïs. Recent regional meetings have identified the lack of national coordinating mechanisms in many countries as the major obstacle to achieving the objectives of the Blindness Prevention Programmes and the implementation of the Regional Plan Action