The government is planning to conduct a childhood blindness survey to determine the number of children with blindness in the country.
Prof AHM Enayet Hussain of National Eye Care under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) revealed the government plan at a symposium held in Dhaka on Thursday.
Orbis International organized the symposium titled ‘Universal Eye Health: Orbis Initiatives and Experience in Bangladesh’ at Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS) at Mirpur.
Prof Enayet said the government has also plans to enhance capacities of medical colleges and offer follow-up services to district hospitals to tackle blindness and eye ailments. He presented a paper on ‘Universal Eye Health: Focus on Childhood Blindness’ at the symposium.
Dr Fayazul Islam ORBIS International presented another paper on ‘Diabetic Retinopathy Initiatives and Orbis Experience’, Dr Lutful Hussain of ORBIS on ‘Tele Medicine – Cyber Sight’, and Mohammad Shamsul Islam of Chittagong Eye Infirmary & Training Complex (CEITC) on ‘Utilization of PEC by the Community’. Shusmita Khan of Eminence and Md Shoaibe Anwar of ORBIS presented two other papers.
ORBIS International’s Country Director for Bangladesh Dr Munir Ahmed chaired the symposium and Orbis Director of Programs Mohammed Alauddin moderated it.
Dr Fayazul in his presentation said 25 percent of diabetic patients have Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Referring to an estimate of World Diabetic Federation, he said the number of diabetic patients in Bangladesh would reach 11.1 million in 2030.
Dr Munir laid emphasis on public-private partnership and integration of programs of local and international NGOs for reaching out the eye care services to the people. He said universal eye care would remain unattended unless ‘we can address geographical issues’.
The symposium was held during the two-day fifth Regional Public Health Conference which was inaugurated by Brac founder Fazle Hasan Abed on Wednesday.