Over the past years, thanks to funds from local and foreign organizations, Khanh Hoa Children's Fund has provided hundreds of children with eye care consultancy and check-ups, enabling access to sight-restoring surgery for better life...
Over the past years, thanks to funds from local and foreign organizations, Khanh Hoa Children’s Fund has provided hundreds of children with eye care consultancy and check-ups, enabling access to sight-restoring surgery for better life.
Sight-restoring surgery
8-year-old Nguyen Thi Yen Nhi, Ninh Giang Ward, Ninh Hoa Town used to suffer from trichiasis. Her father also has a cataract. Her family is so poor that they cannot afford the cost for her medical treatment. Her mother named Tang Thi Nga says, “Thanks to the children's eye’s program, my daughter can get the trichiasis surgery to protect her eyes, helping her to become more confident in life. We are so grateful.”
The "Children's Eye" program was launched in 1998 by the Sponsorship Council of the National Fund of Vietnamese Children in partnership with Prudential Vietnam. When the project is expected to raise awareness on eye care and protection to about 30,000 children and families through communication activities and provide screening and consultation on eye diseases to.4,200 children.
Cao Tuan, 14, in Hon Du Village, Khanh Nam Commune, Khanh Vinh District used to suffer from congenital sagging eyelids, which caused him difficulties in his study and daily life. “My family mainly works on farms and can’t afford the eye surgery. In 2016, informed of a free eye surgery, I took her there for a visual check-up and surgery,” says her mom named Cao Thi Lua.
Nguyen Thi Yen Nhi and Cao Tuan were 2 among more than 500 children benefiting from the "For Children's Eye" program funded by Khanh Hoa Children’s Fund. The program is committed to developing blindness prevention and control among children with free treatments and consultancy for children suffering from treatable eye diseases.
Most of the recipients were from poor families. The program has also raised adults’ awareness of child eye care. Surgeries are for such eye problems as squints, sagging upper eyelids, cataract, glaucoma, Trichiasis, blocked tear ducts and Retinoblastoma, says Luu Thi Ngoc Lien, Acting Director of Khanh Hoa Children’s Fund.
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Challenges
In recent years, some challenges have included insufficient survey data which effected children’s access to eye treatment and consultancy services; as well as lack of medical facilities in remote and disadvantaged ethnic minority communities. In addition, much improvement is needed to promote cooperation between sponsors and patients’ families during treatment process, develop public awareness campaigns as well as provide support for transferring patients to a higher level of care, according to Khanh Hoa Children’s Fund.
In 2020, Khanh Hoa Department of Labor, War Invalids & Social Affairs will continue mobilizing local and foreign organizations to promote child health care through various activities such as medical check-ups, milk offers, medical insurance card grants and financial assistance for surgeries. Moreover, continued cooperation among local agencies and authorities is required to further improve child care services and inspire the community involvement, etc, helping ensure equal chances to access child care and protection to promote children’s all-round development and achievement, says Vo Binh Tan, Vice-Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Labor, War Invalids & Social Affairs.
Thanh Truc
Translated by N.T
