Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh (OSB) has partnered with global non-governmental organisation Orbis International to fight avoidable blindness in Bangladesh.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two entities at a ceremony held at the Orbis International Bangladesh Country Office at Gulshan in the capital on Tuesday.

OSB Secretary General Prof Dr Dipak Kumar Nag and Orbis International Country Director Dr Munir Ahmed signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides while OSB President Prof Dr AHM Enayet Hussain graced the ceremony as the chief guest.

Under the agreement, Orbis International will work with OSB to strengthen the capacity of ophthalmologists and OSB will take the lead to organise the 11th Flying Eye Hospital Training Program in Chattogram in November next year. 

The two entities will take collaborative action to improve the quality of care through training of ophthalmologists by using Orbis Cybersight resources, forge academic partnerships to conduct training and learning initiatives and research.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Professor of Ophthalmology Dr Nuzhat Choudhury and Dhaka Medical College Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Dr Mukti Rani Mitra were also present at the signing ceremony on behalf of the OSB executive committee.

Orbis International Bangladesh Director Nazneen Chowdhury, Associate Directors Dr Lutful Husain and Iqbal Hossain, Senior Managers Mirza Manbira Sultana and SM Monirul Ahasan, Communication and Media Specialist Sahos Mostafiz were also present. 

Official count suggests nearly 750,000 adults and 48,000 children are blind in Bangladesh and more than six million people are living with visual impairment with cataracts, refractive errors, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and corneal scarring being the leading causes of avoidable blindness.

OSB is a national-level platform of ophthalmologists that isworking on the prevention of blindness. The Society organises scientific programmes throughout the year for continuing ophthalmic education, in which young ophthalmologists are equipped with new developments and clinical expertise. The annual OSB conference takes place each year with a large number of attendees from Bangladesh and abroad. It serves as a platform for ophthalmologists in this part of Asia to share and expand their knowledge and ideas. 

Orbis is a global non-profit organisation that has been a leader in the fight against avoidable vision loss for over four decades. This organisation trained hundreds of thousands of eye care professionals in low- and middle-income countries to provide sight-saving care in their communities.

Orbis International started its journey in Bangladesh in 1985 through Flying Eye Hospital Program with an aim to reduce avoidable blindness. Orbis’s long-term programmes in Bangladesh started in 2000. Since then, the organisation has achieved remarkable success and many ‘first’ with the government and partners to complement and supplement the National Eye Care plan towards achieving Universal Eye Health Coverage to reduce avoidable blindness.