The project completed in December 2019 with support from Qatar Fund For Development, Orbis Canada and Orbis Singapore. We were able to provide eye screening for 4,315 people (131% achieved), distribute medicines to 2,858 (248%), organise 28 outreach programs (400%), gave 457 spectacles (46%) due to higher need for medicine vs spectacles.
Eye Care for Rohingya in Bangladesh
Amidst numerous crises in the world today, let’s also remember the Rohingya. After a huge influx of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals to Cox’s Bazar in July 2017, Orbis team carried out a quick assessment with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the camp to identify eye care needs
Patients queue up for eye screening at the camp
Amanullah came to the camp with his family members when Myanmar’s army came against them in their village in Myanmar. Before they were forcibly displaced, he already had difficulty seeing things at a distance, reading documents and writing properly, but could not get a pair of spectacles because of financial difficulties. At the camp, it was even more difficult for him to move around in the evening because of unfamiliarity. In fact, he thought that the camp would be the least likely place he could ever get spectacles. Today, because of Orbis’s outreach camp supported by donors like you, he found hope. Not only he can move around easily now to help out with his family, the improved vision puts a grin on his face.
