Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho city, thanked Orbis for actively supporting Can Tho city in successfully implementing eye care projects. Specifically, in the 2016 - 2018 period, Orbis has implemented the project “Light for children in the Mekong Delta”; established the Children's Ophthalmology Department at the city's Eye and Odonto-Stomatology Hospital; conducted medical examination and treatment of children's eyes; supported the equipping of basic ophthalmic equipment for two hospitals under the project included the Eye and Odonto-Stomatology Hospital and the Children Hospital. In 2017, Orbis also continued to implement the 2017 Orbis Flying Eye Hospital Program, which supported more than 200 patients to be examined and treated for eye diseases. Furthermore, Orbis also held capacity-building training for more than 100 ophthalmologists and professional guidance for nurses.

On behalf of Orbit International, Ms. Doris Macharia, Senior Vice President of Global Programs of Orbis International, expressed her hope that in the coming year, hospitals and relevant agencies in Can Tho will continue to work with the non-profit organization in the implementation of programs providing children with eye screening and improving skills of healthcare workers in ophthalmology.

Ms. Doris Macharia, Senior Vice President of Global Programs of Orbis International, commits to accompany the health sector in blindness care and prevention in Vietnam as well as in Can Tho city.

In 2021, Orbis International has created healthcare programs globally, this strategy is also in line with Can Tho city’s plan, which focuses on eye treatment and eye care for children. The organization has worked with the health sector of Can Tho to roll out various eye care projects for children, particularly the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, which provides eye treatment for more than 200 patients and improves skills for some 100 ophthalmologists. With its strengths and experience, Orbis will cover the fees for the services for about 500 poor and pre-school children, and improve the capacity of health workers in the community, teachers and school nurses through three-week training courses in May 2023. To do this, Ms. Doris Macharia said that Orbis urgently needs the cooperation of the city’s health sector and the city's needs so that the two sides can jointly design projects in line with the goal of restoring sight and bringing light to people, especially the children in Can Tho city.

Vice-Chairman Nguyen Thuc Hien assigned the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Health, and relevant agencies to support and build specific plans for the launch of projects. He also asked Orbis International to care more for rural children.

Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that transforms lives through the prevention and treatment of blindness and is one of the key partners in healthcare in Vietnam. Orbis has been providing the highest level of expertise to address different issues of blindness prevention, e.g. ROP, pediatric & cataract services, and eye bank, which contributed to the eye care development in Vietnam significantly. Moreover, Orbis focuses on improving healthcare workers' skills in ophthalmology; providing eye care services for people in rural areas; providing children with eye screening,…