Ctg patients get advanced eye care at flying hospital
Two-week skill exchange programme of ORBIS International concludes today
ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital at Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong. The photo was taken on Tuesday.Photo: STAR
The 48-seat classroom was almost full with eye care specialists in a flying hospital with their eyes glued to a large monitor to watch a cornea transplantation that was going on in the Operation Theatre (OT) two rooms behind them. Dr Andrew Huang, a professor of ophthalmology at Washington University of Missouri in the US, was giving running commentary of his every action while conducting the critical surgery. Over the loud speaker he invited questions and gave answers to queries of those attending the classroom. This was a scene in the flying eye hospital, run by ORBIS International. With its advanced eye care techniques, the hospital during its two-week stay here is expected to screen some 300 patients and provide surgical and laser treatments to 75 patients. A group of journalists witnessed the on-board training and skill exchange activities of the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital in a DC 10 aircraft that stood still and quiet at Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong on Thursday noon. ORBIS International, an organisation carrying out eye care campaign and skill building activities with a slogan “Saving Sight Worldwide”, landed its flagship Flying Eye Hospital (FEH) here on October 4 to conduct a two-week skill exchange programme that concludes today (October 15). Local eye care medicos were seen exchanging skills and getting introduced with the latest technology and modern treatment, both surgical and medical, through live projection of surgery from the OT with the help of ORBIS International Medical Director Dr Hunter Cherwek. Some local ophthalmologists and anaesthetists also worked side-by-side with the ORBIS medical team and volunteer teaching faculty to perform surgery, learn new skills and restore sight. Seventeen-year-old Nasrin Sultana of the port city's Halishahar area and 20-year-old Shakhawat Hossain of Feni were waiting at the examining hall before being operated upon to get their eyes properly set and rid themselves of the congenital defect (Brown Syndrom Terachokh) they had been troubled with so far. Umme Salma, a paramedic from Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC), exchanged experiences with members of the skilled ORBIS medical team in the Flying Eye Hospital. Salma said they also use the same technology and equipment for treatments at CEITC. However, the way the surgeons and other ophthalmologists of ORBIS medical behave with the patient is something really appreciable,” she added. ORBIS International Communication Manager Perry Athanson said, “There are 10 volunteer faculties and six staff nurses from the US, the UK and Canada and a volunteer nurse from Ire Land to support this programme held for the ninth time in Bangladesh and third time in Chittagong after 2002 and 2005. “Coinciding with the World Sight Day (October 8) the FEH programme in Chittagong emphasised gender equality in ensuring equal access to eye care for women and children, which is the theme of the World Sight Day. “The women and children comprise around two-thirds of around 44 million people suffering from avoidable visual impairment across the globe,” Perry said, adding, “Awareness and access to treatment can help these huge number of visually impaired people get back their normal eye sight.” “ORBIS International organises 10 to 12 FEH programmes every year.
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