Avoidable blindness is a major health problem in Bangladesh. According to a recent survey conducted on blindness and low vision, about 7.5 million people aged 30 and above, and up to 40,000 children are blind.

Cataract, a condition that is treatable through relatively routine and cost effective surgery, accounts for up to 80 percent of this blindness.

The Foundation is working with the Government of Bangladesh on the National Eye Care Plan to eliminate avoidable blindness in the country by the year 2020.

The Foundation currently works in the districts of Brahmanbaria, Jamalpur and Narail and Satkhira in partnership with The National Eye Care Program and international non-government organisations. The objective of our work is to build the capacity of the eye health sector to treat and prevent blindness in the country.

The Foundation has also partnered with Sight Savers International on the Bangladesh Childhood Cataract Campaign to help clear the backlog of childhood cataract.

In 2011, The Foundation will be further expanding the scope and project activities of our work in Bangladesh.

Find out more about the Bangladesh program.

Through our program work, The Foundation:

• Enabled over 34,000 eye patients to be seen in Brahmanbaria and Satkhira District Hospitals with eye units equipped and staff trained by, The Foundation
  
  
• Supported 2,583 sight restoring interventions - including 1,871 cataract surgeries
  
  
• Supported the National Institute of Ophthalmology (NIO) to increase national eye care coordination and promote data collection
   
• Trained over 500 community health workers and volunteers in primary eye care to provide referrals and basic eye care services in rural communities
  
  
• Supported District Vision 2020 Coordination Committees, promoting community engagement and leadership of district program activities
  
  
• Launched a diploma program to train government staff as Mid Level Eye Care Personnel.