UNB, Dhaka :
Experts at a workshop recommended an increase in government fund allocation to eye care and raising the rate of cataract operations for attainment of the ‘Vision 2020’ goal- elimination of avoidable blindness by the year 2020.
They also suggested development of human resources in the eye care field, an increase in the number of mid-level ophthalmologic practitioners, and establishment of at least 1,000 ‘vision centres’ across the country.
International NGO Forum for Eye Health and the government’s National Eye Care (NEC) jointly organised the two-day workshop, which ended on Tuesday, marking the World Sight Day..
Experts said, Cataract Surgical Rate (CSR), meaning the number of cataract operations per million of the population, rose to 1,300 from 550 in the last one decade and it needs to be raised to 3,000 for Vision 2020 goal attainment.
The other suggestions for elimination of avoidable blindness include building in-country capacity for training the people in the field, and retaining skilled eye-care providers at district level and below.
Around 100 eye care professionals and officials representing almost all key stakeholders of the sector, including Bangladesh government,
World Health Organisation, Unicef, International Centre for Eye Health, Orbis, Helen Keller International, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), BRAC and CBM, other development agencies and organizations, donors, international and local NGOs, Vision 2020 Committee members, and hospitals attended the workshop.
Prof Deen Mohd. Noorul Huq, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), inaugurated the workshop on Monday.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Prof Dr. Jalal Ahmed, Line Director of National Eye Care (NEC) and Director of National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIO&H), said government’s allocation stands only at Tk 50 million a year for eye care of the people.
Dr. Abu Raihan, Co-chair for South East Asia Region of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and Dr. Munir Ahmed, Chair of International NGO Forum for Eye Health and Country Director of Orbis International-Bangladesh, were present at the closing session of the workshop, among others.
Bangladesh joined the Vision 2020, a global initiative for elimination of avoidable blindness undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).
