The Italian support to prevention of blindness programmes in developing countries.

The authors point out that Italy, as a tradition, has always dedicated special attention to developing countries, due to its geographical position and its cultural background and that in 1971 the Italian Government has created by a law, as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department for Cooperation and Development, the objective of which is to contribute to the enhancement of the living conditions in developing countries. The authors report data on a Trachoma Control Project started in 1973 lasting to 1981, financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and technically guided by some of the authors and point out that the major success of this Project is that, since they left the Country in 1981, trachoma control activities are still now carried out by using the same methodologies. Finally, the authors report data on a National Prevention of Blindness Programme, the extension of which will be guided in the near future by the Referral Center for Public Health Ophthalmology of Rome that has just prepared the plan of operation that foresees the reorganization and strengthening of the existing structures and manpower at the head quarter, tertiary, secondary and primary levels.