A five-year eye care project titled 'Dhaka Urban Comprehensive Eye Care' was launched yesterday for providing eye care to over 2.7 lakh visually impaired people in the city.
The marginalised people living in the city will be the main beneficiaries of the cervices.
Sightsavers International in association with the Standard Charted Bank has taken the initiatives with an aim to developing six primary healthcare centres as sub-centre for eye services and three low vision centres to train 2,000 staff on primary eye care and case identification.
The objectives of the project include reducing the prevalence of cataract, increasing the use of refraction and low vision services, encouraging preventative eye care measures and increasing the capacity of the partners to provide counseling services.
The whole operation will be directed with the support of four partner hospitals, Islamia Eye Hospital (IEH), National Society for the Blind Eye Hospital, Ad-din Hospital and Salauddin Specialised Hospital Ltd.
Standard Chartered Bank will invest $20 million to fund the development of sustainable eye care services in less advantaged areas of 20 cities across the world, including Dhaka.
LGRD Adviser Md Anwarul Iqbal inaugurated the programme at Islamia Eye Hospital in the city.
He said that due to poverty and lack of awareness, a lot of people are suffering from visual impairment every year.
He urged the countrymen to come forward to raise awareness and increase treatment facilities for eye care.
He said this project would help reduce avoidable blindness in Dhaka city.
It will also help the government achieve Vision 2020 goals, he added.
Mirza Ali Behrouze Ispahani, chairman of Islamia Eye Hospital, chaired the programme while Dr Md Showkat Ali, chief health officer of DCC, Dr Wahidul Islam, country director, Sightsavers International, Ahmed Ali Shah, acting CEO and managing director of Standard Chartered Bank, were present at the programme.