ECP-MSS restores the lost sight of over 800 underserved
Comprehensive eye care services were provided to 4,835 underserved people by qualified doctors, technicians, and modern eye screening equipment
Eight-hundred-twenty-seven underprivileged people have regained their sight through free cataract surgeries sponsored by Eye Care Programme MSS donors and Manabik Shahajya Sangstha (MSS).
These cataract blind people were identified at the 21 free eye camps organised in the rural areas of the country. To eliminate preventable blindness among the underserved, these free eye screening camps were organised in Dinajpur, Chapainawabganj, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, Natore, Gaibandha, Rajshahi, Kurigram and Kushtia districts throughout the month of June.
In addition, under the organisation's School Sight Testing Programme (SSTP), free eye care services were provided to 1,670 students of six schools in the Dinajpur and Thakurgaon district, reads a press release.
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At these free eye camps, comprehensive eye care services were provided to 4,835 underserved people by qualified doctors, technicians, and modern eye screening equipment. Cataract was identified in 1,075 patients. Prescriptions were issued to the patients and free spectacles (1,403) were given.
The blood pressure and diabetes of 1,200 patients were checked. Masks were provided to 50 unmasked patients. In addition, around 3,000 basic eye care awareness flyers and posters were distributed among the patients.
The surgeries were performed at ECP's partner hospitals – Shafiuddin Ahmed Foundation, Thakurgaon, Rangpur Eye Hospital, Rangpur, Makka Eye Hospital, Rajshahi, and Proffessor MA Matin Memorial BNSB Base Eye Hospital, Sirajganj.
"Considering rural peoples' limited access to eye care services, ECP-MSS expanded its services geographically to bring comprehensive eye care services for them. In order to advance the goals of the ECP, a variety of eye care services are undertaken since its inception," said MSS President Feroz M Hassan.
The ECP-MSS is working to eliminate preventable blindness among the underserved people in Bangladesh since 2014. Around 1,38,000 patients have been served so far. Nearly 11,700 cataract surgeries were successfully performed. More than 29,000 reading glasses were distributed to correct refractive errors.
