Bangladesh's national eye care plan close to finalisation, says State Minister Muhit

Bangladesh is finalising a national eye care plan targeting nearly a million cataract surgeries, distribution of tens of millions of spectacles and treatment for diabetic retinopathy.

At an event in Dhaka on Tuesday, State Minister for Health MA Muhit said separate outdoor, indoor and operation theatre facilities for eye treatment would be rolled out at the 151-bed full-fledged hospitals being built in every Upazila.

Muhit, an international public health and eye specialist, says the government prioritises health infrastructure and remains determined to take modern ophthalmic care down to the grass-roots level.

 Advanced eye care services will be introduced across nearly 500 Upazilas to spare rural patients from travelling to district towns or the capital for medical attention.

Outlining grass-roots primary health strategies, Muhit explained that primary eye care will feature as a mandatory component in training for 100,000 healthcare personnel undergoing recruitment.

Concurrently, the government will adapt infrastructure at district hospitals to bolster regular cataract operations and refraction services across at least half the districts.

The state minister pointed to a major modernisation and expansion project under way at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIOH), slated for swift execution.

The government also intends to leverage field experience from non-governmental organisations to showcase Bangladesh’s eye care milestones on the global stage.

The state minister said the health ministry had spent the past six months coordinating regularly with international and local organisations to develop and expand eye care services. 

Through high-level government efforts, the country has also secured a major commitment to host a global summit, he said, adding that the government aims to bring about a landmark transformation in the eye care sector within the next three to four years.