Some 110,00 people undergone cataract surgery in Sylhet
DHAKA, Dec. 24 (NsNewsWire) — Some 110,000 people have undergone cataract surgery in the country’s Sylhet division since the launch of a joint venture project aims at eliminating avoidable blindness.
Vision Bangladesh Phase-I, which was launched in 2011, is a joint venture of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) of Bangladesh, BRAC and Sightsavers.
The Public Private Partnership (PPP) model in implementing this project in the grassroots has created an example itself mirroring that such coordinated initiatives can bring about dramatic outcomes, said a BRAC statement received on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Dr. Kaosar Afsana, Director of BRAC’s Health, Nutrition and Population Program mentioned that “about 110,000 cataract surgeries were conducted in Sylhet division in phase-I and now the project is scaling up to 10 urban areas along with few selected rural districts.”
She further mentioned that continuing support and guidance which aims to avert preventable blindness through cataract surgery. The Public Private NEC’s continuing support and guidance has made vision Bangladesh a successful role model in the eye care services.
In an event held at BRAC Centre on Dec. 22, Secretary for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Mr.M M Neazuddin mentioned that Vision Bangladesh project should be replicated all across the nation.
Terming access to eye healthcare as a basic right of the people, he stressed on the need to excel eye care services for improved quality of life of the community people.
He further mentioned that the Ministry will provide all out support for the implementation of this intervention.
According to Bangladesh National Blindness and Low Vision Survey 2000 about 750,000 adults aged above thirty years are completely blind out of which eighty percent are due to cataract related complications.
The survey also mirrors that about five million people including children suffer from refractive errors. Evidence suggests that about 90% of such blindness and low vision can be prevented with proper and timely management.
Prof. Dr. Deen Mohd. Noorul Haq Line Director, National Eye Care-DGHS and Director cum Professor, National Institute of Ophthalmology & Hospital mentioned that BRAC has shown remarkable progress in mobilizing and counselling patients in the rural area further stating that the target of 100,000 for three years cataract surgeries could not be reached before the end of project period without the extensive support of BRAC.
Later a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between National Eye Care and BRAC which will allow BRAC to continue its operation in Sylhet division for addressing upcoming cataract cases and hard to reach areas .