'Address preventable blindness among FDMNs, host communities'

Local and regional eye health experts have suggested taking urgent measures to address preventable blindness among the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar as high rate of this form of sightlessness prevails among the forcibly-displaced Myanmar nationals.

They said though eye epidemiology data are not available for the Rohingya people, their poor access to healthcare while being in Myanmar and pattern of their complaints at health camps at Cox’s Bazar suggest that a large percentage of them are suffering from cataract, presbyopia and cornea problems.

According to a situation analysis report, estimated 9,800 cataract surgeries for adult and 980 for children will be needed to perform for Rohingyas and 150,000 spectacles would be needed for dispensing a year. Also 20,000-30,000 people would be expected at risk for diabetic eye diseases and 70,000 might have glaucoma.

The experts recommended conducting a blindness and vision impairment survey (BVI) for the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar as well as for the host communities to have a clear picture about their eye health situation and tackle eye problems.

They made the recommendations at a dissemination workshop titled ‘Eye Care Response to FDMNs and Host Communities in Cox’s Bazar – Situation Analysis and Way Forward’ held at BRAC Centre Inn Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday. INGO Forum in Eye Health and IAPB Bangladesh Chapter organised the event with the support of Orbis International Bangladesh, Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and QCV Expanding Eye Care project.

Prof Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), was present as the chief guest at the workshop, presided over presided by Prof AHM Enayet Hussain, Chair of IAPB Bangladesh Chapter and Additional Director General of DGHS.

Dr Taraprasad Das, Regional Chair of IAPB South East Asia, Prof Ava Hossain, Vice-president of Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, and Prof Dr Golam Mostafa, Director-cum-Professor NIO&H and Line Director of National Eye Care (NEC) were the special guests.

Dr Jerry Vincent, Consultant of Seva Foundation of the USA, presented the keynote paper, based on the findings of a comprehensive situation analysis of Rohingya people.

He said: “The task of addressing the eye care needs of the Rohingya and the local population in Cox’s Bazar is daunting. But with the excellent collaboration between members of the Bangladeshi eye sector, good planning and support from international donors, this will be possible. Given that Cox’s Bazar now has the largest refugee camp in the world, this effort will also be the largest eye care response ever undertaken in a refugee crisis.”

Dr Munir Ahmed, Country Director of Orbis International Bangladesh, and Dr Zareen Khair, Chair of INGO Forum and Country Director of the Fred Hollows Foundation, also spoke at the event.

The experts said conducting a BVI survey will provide the data needed for planning the services needed to contribute to reduction in blindness and vision impairment among the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar and the local communities. The survey will also strengthen Bangladesh’s capacity to deal with eye care crisis, they added.

Representatives from USAID, UNICEF, UNHCR, Swiss Red Cross, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Save the Children, World Vision International, Plan International, CDD, Friendship, OBAT Helpers, Caritas Bangladesh, Catholic Relief Services, CBBSH, Gonoshasthay Kendra, IAPB, Seva Foundation, Orbis International, Fred Hollows, CBM, Sightsavers, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, OSB, APAO, NEC, NIO&H, Child Sight Foundation, and RRRC took part in the workshop.

The speakers also suggested integrating primary eye care into the primary healthcare system, providing basing eye services – cataract surgery and provision of eyeglasses – without discrimination, and setting up emergency eye referral processes.