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“According to the latest figure studied by the World Health Organization, there are 285 million people worldwide are living with low vision and blindness. 90 percent of them live in the developing countries. shared MA. Sery Bonn. Children are considered to be mainly encountered with vision problems. The report also highlighted the number of 19 million children living with low vision.
Min Chenda is blind university student. She attended the World Sight Day. She has briefed on how she has coped with her childhood blindness. Chenda called for other children or people who have eye problems to live with hope, explaining that there are so many places for treatment or surgery such as, Takeo Eye hospital, Non-governmental organizations and others. “Even though I am blind but I never give up and eventually I could be able to continue higher education. I am currently pursuing my fourth year study of Psychology at the university”, Chenda proudly shared.
Caritas’s Comprehensive Eye Care program has been the single largest eye care program in the country since 1997. The program which is based in the government hospital in Takeo province, works to combat blindness, restoring sights through education, counseling, treatment and surgery.
This year theme “ Eye Care for All” also reflects the effort from all key stakeholders including the government, development partners, Non-governmental organizations, local authority, private sector and the people, who have shared the cost, care and support to all eye issues.
“Caritas Cambodia is committed to continue its support in the health development sector and in all areas of health problems such as eye care”, said Mrs. Ngay Somealea, from Caritas Cambodia. “Caritas also thanks to good collaborations from different stakeholder groups who have invested their utmost effort in working together to improve eye health problem in the country”, Somealea emphasized.
The World Sight Day 2015 was presided over by the deputy health department of Takeo province and representatives from the provincial department of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, and department of Women’ s Affair and Caritas Cambodia and Caritas Czech Republic. All expressed their delight to the celebration and firmly commit to strengthen further cooperation. Approximately 300 people who have eye problems across the country came to seek treatment from Takeo Eye hospital on the first day. To celebrate the World Sight Day, all types of eye heath services are given to all people with free of cost.
Takeo Eye hospital was initially established by Maryknoll Cambodia to train government doctors and nurses in delivering quality eye care services across the provincial government hospitals. The program is envisaged as a solution to reach the poorest rural populations who have eye problems. Comprehensive Eye Care program is a vital component of the health care and includes the activities of consultations, outreach screenings, spectacles, operations, referral services and training.
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