Around 4000 underserved get free eye treatment

Seventeen free eye camps for the underprivileged people were held in the rural areas of Panchagarh, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur districts sponsored by Eye Care Program (ECP) - MSS donors and Manabik Shahajya Sangstha (MSS).

Three thousand eight hundred fifty-nine (3,859) underserved got free treatment in these eye camps. Among them, Cataract was identified in 658 patients and 532 identified cataract patients were operated shortly at the organizations partner hospitals, according to a press release issued yesterday. 

In addition, under the organization’s School Sight Testing Program (SSTP), free eye care services were provided to 584 students of six (06) schools during school hours in the Panchagarh and Thakurgaon districts. To eliminate preventable blindness among the underserved, these free eye screening camps were organized between May 10, 2022 to May 31, 2022.

At these eye camps, comprehensive eye care services were provided to the underserved people by qualified doctors, technicians, and modern eye screening equipment. Prescriptions were issued to the patients. Free spectacles (933) were given out. Blood pressure and diabetes of 698 patients were checked. Masks were provided to 221 unmasked patients.

In addition, more than 2,300 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 and Prof. M. A. Matin Memorial BNSB Base Eye Hospital, Sirajganj.

“ECP is committed to provide eye care services including eye screening, eye glasses and medicines, identify cataract patients and facilitate eye surgeries of the underserved people in the remote areas,’’ said MSS President Mr. Feroz M. Hassan.