KUDOS |
SIGHT-SAVING OUTREACH PROGRAMS
Protecting Sight in Some of Asia’s Poorest Communities by Hazlin Hassan
A
n estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from visual impairment of some kind. Almost half of this is preventable or treatable, but some communities simply do not have access to the eye care they need.
sustainable eye care systems and ensure that residents receive the eye care they need.
to assist in the development of the supporting curriculum for the policy inclusion,” she added.
One of their projects is in Cambodia.
While Cambodia has recovered since the civil war and is now a rapidly developing Southeast Asian nation, access to quality health care remains a challenge thanks to cost and inequality.
Brien Holden Foundation
“We reached a good progression recently through our continued advocacy for eye health care to be added into the National School Health policy, which essentially denotes the care parameters for the children of Cambodia,” said Selina Madeleine, director of Brien Holden Foundation.
The Australia-based Brien Holden Foundation works with local partners in developing communities to build
“Child eye health has now been ratified by the government to be included in the policy. We are currently in discussions
Here, we take a look at two organizations making an impact by delivering eye care to some of Asia’s poorest communities.
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| October 2020
A vision center set up by the Foundation in Phnom Penh in 2009 contributes to the elimination of uncorrected refractive error by providing the community with access to eye examinations, affordable prescription glasses and referrals.
