The Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO) will carry out 200 humanitarian eye surgeries for the poor in Laos ’ Bolikhamsay province from April 18-27. The surgeries will be implemented in the districts of Kham Keut, Vieng Thong and Pakading and will be assisted with $20,000 by the Action for Blind People (AFBP) in Asia. The activity is part of the Vietnamese Government’s commitment program on helping Laos in blind prevention and realizing eye care goal until 2020. As planned, between now and 2020, the Vietnam eye care agencies will support Laos in various fields including training personnel, transferring new technology, upgrading optic equipment and implementing humanitarian eye operations. More than 56,200 out of Laos’ population at 5.8 million are blind whereas there are only 15 ophthalmologists nationwide, mainly in the capital city of Vientiane, who can conduct just 5,000 eyes operations every year. (Nhan Dan online April 19)
