‘Vietnam Child Eye Care’ project for school pupils

The ‘Vietnam Child Eye Care’ project was deployed in three Vietnamese localities of Hai Duong, Da Nang, and Tien Giang between 2016 and 2018.

A junior high school pupil receiving free eye examinations.

Funded by the Standard Chartered Bank and the Fred Hollows Foundation, the project aims to benefit around two million children aged 6-15 years by improving their eye health conditions through development and adoption of national school eye screening guidelines.

In Da Nang alone, the over 6 billion VND project was implemented at all primary and junior high schools in the districts of Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Cam Le and Ngu Hanh Son. Over the past 3 years, the meaningful and humanitarian project has brought great benefits to school pupils.

In particular, a total of 86,000 primary and junior high school pupils across the city were provided with free screening tests for the early detection of eye-related diseases.

To date, 1,200 short-sighted poor pupils have been given free properly prescribed glasses, and 4 others have received eye therapy and rehabilitation treatments.

In addition, training courses on how to provide eye care services have been offered to over 90,000 pupils and their parents and teachers, plus medical workers.

Notably, the Interscholastic Media Camp 2018, which is considered as one of highlights about eye care activities in the city, has attracted a total of 640 pupils from 32 junior high schools, 160 teachers and managing staff, and over 200 invited guests.

Headmistress of the Nui Thanh Primary School Huynh Thi Thu Nguyet highlighted the significance of the project in raising awareness of eye care and protection amongst local pupils, their teachers and parents, as well as enhancing the efficiency of eye examinations and treatment for school pupils.

She hoped that more children of the Tuong lai (Future) Special School, the SOS Children’s Village and the Hoa Mai Orphan Care Centre would enjoy benefits from the project in the future.

Ms Le Thi Bich Thuan, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Education and Training, remarked that the 2nd phase of the project would be implemented until 2020. Her agency plans to expand the project into school pupils in Lien Chieu and Son Tra districts, and across the city as a whole.

Source: DA NANG Today