Print
Email
ShareOpen Labs, Open Minds: Breaking Down the Barriers to Innovation and Access to Medicines in the Developing World
Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of Glaxosmithkline, speaks about innovative and economically sustainable new ways to ensure...
Interviewee: Jordan S. Kassalow
Interviewer: Toni Johnson
October 24, 2007
Eyeglasses have been around for hundreds of years but millions of people in the developing world still suffer from poor vision, degrading their ability to learn and work. Jordan Kassalow, cofounder and chairman of the Scojo Foundation and former CFR fellow for global health policy, says the scope of the problem is “huge.” The World Health Organization only recently started classifying people who cannot see without the aid of glasses as blind and so the issue has lacked the attention and research it requires. His foundation focuses on creating small businesses in developing nations for selling simple reading glasses, found in any drug store in the United States, without a prescription. Besides reading, these glasses are also useful for activities such as separating rice from stones and differentiating types of seeds for planting. Kassalow says his foundation and other organizations working on the issue have barely been able “to make a dent in the problem.” He notes that organizations need to get this right since the solutions are simple, otherwise it does not bode well for more difficult health issues such as HIV/AIDS.
Terms of Use: I understand that I may access this audio and/or video file solely for my personal use. Any other use of the file and its content, including display, distribution, reproduction, or alteration in any form for any purpose, whether commercial, noncommercial, educational, or promotional, is expressly prohibited without the written permission of the copyright owner, the Council on Foreign Relations. For more information, write outreach@cfr.org.
No One's World
A renowned scholar maps out the twenty-first-century world, providing a detailed strategy for reconciling the West with the "rise of the rest." More
The US-South Korea Alliance
A new volume explores the possibilities for enhanced U.S.-South Korea cooperation in both traditional and nontraditional spheres. More
Countering Criminal Violence in Central America
The author assesses the causes and consequences of the violence faced by several Central American countries and examines the national, regional, and international efforts intended to curb its worst effects.
Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of Glaxosmithkline, speaks about innovative and economically sustainable new ways to ensure...
Cholera in Iraq continues to spread, and experts can’t seem to get a handle on the unsanitary water responsible for making so many people...
Thomas Bollyky examines strategies to improve access to neglected disease treatments and sustainably meet the treatment needs of the world's...