Bangladesh is keen to work and collaborate with Orbis International, a non-profit organization, to expand eye care and services, said Professor Muhammad Yunus, the interim government's chief adviser.
In a meeting with Derek Hodkey, President and CEO of Orbis International, he said, eye care services need to be expanded in Bangladesh and for this purpose we are ready to work with Orbis International.
This information was given in a press release today (November 22).
Derek is visiting Bangladesh as part of the training program of Orbis Flying Eye Hospital. Derek met Professor Yunus at his office in the capital on Wednesday (November 20).
Orbis Bangladesh Country Director Dr. Munir Ahmed was present on the occasion. The Orbis President presented a model version of the Flying Eye Hospital to the Chief Adviser. Professor Yunus who highly appreciated it.
Derek briefed the Chief Adviser about the work of Orbis International. Orbis started its global vision conservation program in 1982. The organization has been working with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Bangladesh for the past 39 years.
Derek said that during this period, Orbis has so far conducted more than 7.8 million eye screenings in community outreach events, provided medicines and optical treatment to more than 4.5 million people, including adults and children, performed more than 2,58,000 eye surgeries and trained more than 40,000 people in Bangladesh on eye care.
Professor Yunus acknowledged Orbis’ contribution to the eye health sector in Bangladesh and expressed his gratitude to the Flying Eye Hospital. Orbis is now conducting its 11th training program in Chattogram.
Dr. Yunus said, “I love Orbis. I love Flying Eye Hospital. Orbis is one of the leading organizations in the eye health sector in Bangladesh.”
Derek said that Orbis is implementing vision conservation programs in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide to help individuals, families and communities.
Noting that nearly one billion people worldwide live with completely preventable blindness and vision loss, Derek said that Orbis has been addressing this challenge for more than four decades with strong and sustainable eye care systems.
The Orbis president said that the non-profit organization runs special programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America and provides training and technology.
He said that for the past four decades, Orbis has helped improve the skills and knowledge of local partners in Bangladesh, with a focus on pediatric eye care, microsurgery, retinal surgery, corneal diseases and retinopathy of prematurity and diabetic retinopathy.
Derek also informed the Chief Adviser that Orbis has engaged the community with eye care by establishing 42 vision care centers across the country, especially in rural areas, and has helped establish or improve 17 secondary hospitals, four tertiary hospitals, two wet labs, a quality resource center, and a digital training hub. In addition, Orbis has equipped 400 community clinics with vision screening tools and developed Bangladesh's first national guidelines for the screening and management of retinopathy of prematurity, a leading cause of childhood blindness.