Cataract affects 1.5 lakh each yr
Say experts
Almost 80 percent cases of blindness due to cataract that the country's people are suffering from are avoidable, said experts at a programme yesterday.
They said according to a latest government survey, 750,000 adults and 40,000 children are suffering from such blindness, mostly preventable through cataract surgery.
Terming cataract as the main cause of blindness, they said current rate of cataract surgeries being conducted cover only one third of the population's needs, creating a huge backlog as 150,000 people are affected each year.
They were speaking at the launching ceremony of Vision Bangladesh Project organised by Sightsavers, Brac and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at Brac Centre Inn in the city.
The three-year project aims to attain target of Vision 2020 -- eliminating avoidable blindness from the country by 2020 -- and backlog of the surgeries from Sylhet division by 2013, said Sightsavers Country Director Dr Wahidul Islam.
A total of 12 upazilas at four districts of Sylhet division were already brought under the project, he said.
Under the scheme, insolvent patients would be provided free screening, treatment, surgeries and follow-up services.
Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque was present as the chief guest while Director General of Directorate General of Health Service Khondhaker Shefyetullah; Line Director of National Eye Care Prof Deen Mohammad Noorul Huq; Sightsavers Chief Executive Dr Caroline Harper; and Director of Health Programme of Brac Faruque Ahmed; also spoke.
Dr Mahabub Hossain, executive director of Brac, chaired the session.
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