The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, the world鈥檚 only fully accredited ophthalmic teaching and surgical facility on board an aircraft, arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday to conduct its 11th training programme in the country.
The MD 10 aircraft housing the Flying Eye Hospital landed at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram at about 12:20pm, said a press release.
Dr Munir Ahmed, country director of Orbis International, Group Captain Shaikh Abdullah Alamgir, director of Shah Amanat International Airport, and professor Munirujzaman Osmani from Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex, welcomed the crew at the airport.
Orbis is an international non-profit organisation delivering sight-saving programmes in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
This marks Orbis鈥檚 first return since 2017, following a tradition of training programmes dating back to the first session in 1985, aiming to build skills of local eye care teams to raise the standard of eye care and create awareness about eye health in Bangladesh.
Hands-on surgical and patient care training will be provided from November 17 to 28, the press release said.
The programme will focus on the ophthalmic subspecialties of cataracts, oculoplastics, surgical retina, pediatric glaucoma, and cornea, as well as anesthesiology, nursing, and biomedical engineering.
The programme is taking place at the invitation of the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with sponsorship from the Alcon Foundation and FedEx, and additional support from Alcon Cares, the Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh, Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons and government鈥檚 National Eye Care.
Orbis International country director Dr Munir Ahmed said that the long-term partnerships worked to increase access to quality eye care in Bangladesh.
