Physical Health Bangladesh Project #30228

Help Babies in Bangladesh See

by Project Orbis International Inc (Singapore) Ltd

Project Report | May 14, 2018
Training Frontline Health Workers to Save Sight

By Jasmine Ng | Project Leader

On 22 March 2018, Orbis and our partner Dr K Zaman BNSB Eye Hospital organised an Orientation Program for 31 frontline health workers in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. These health workers are teachers in the schools in Mymensingh.

Under this project, Dr K Zaman BNSB Eye Hospital offers Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) services, the first time ROP screening and treatment services are available outside of the capital city of Dhaka.

The frontline health workers learned about the atanomy and functions of the eye, their role in their community, how to detect common eye conditions (including ROP) and community awareness on blindness. They are now able to detect common eye diseases and refer patients to Vision Centre or Dr K Zaman BNSB Eye Hospital, and promote primary eye care services to the community.

Promoting prmary eye care services raises awareness of blindness at the grassroot level and encourages parents with premature babies to bring their precious little ones for regular eye checks. Reguar eye checks help with early detection and treatment of ROP. If left untreated or if the condition was discovered too late, the babies may have to live their entire lives in darkness.

Thank you to all donors who have contributed to this project. You helped make this orientation program happen. When we partner with local communities, we mentor, train and inspire them to save sight in their communities, resulting in a longer lasting impact.

Thank you,
Jasmine

Listening attentively

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Feb 12, 2018
Little Mim gets her eyes treated

By Jasmine Ng | Project Leader

Equipment Practical Training Session

Mim was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is one-half of a set of twins and weighs only 1240gm at birth. The twins were their parents' first babies and the parents were eagerly awaiting their arrival.

As first-time parents, they were undoubtedly excited about their bundles of joy and wanted their babies to be healthy and happy. However, little Mim had to be separated from her brother and parents as she needed to stay at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Apollo Hospitals for 58 days due to her low birth weight.

Mim developed Retinopathy of Prematurity in her eyes. It is a common eye condition that affects premature or low birth weight babies. Abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina (light-sensitive area of our eyes) and may lead to blindness if untreated.

Mim had laser treatments at Apollo Hospitals for her condition and was scheduled for follow up at Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, an Orbis partner hospital. During a follow up session, an Orbis-trained doctor identified that little Mim needs to undergo surgery in both eys to save her sight.

Little Mim underwent surgery at a tender age of just 74 days old. The surgery was a success and she is recovering well.

Mim's parents said " We thank Orbis and donors for establishing this essential Retinopathy of Prematurity service in Bangladesh. Without this, our precious daughter would not be able to see the light of this earth for her entire life."

Thank you friends for your generous contribution that made this possible! You gave a little girl one of the most important gifts in life - sight. With sight, Mim can live her life in full colour. She can grow up knowing what her parents and twin brother look like. She can play with her twin brother, friends and neighbours. She can go to school to learn and get an education. She can do all these things - because of you.

Thank you.

P.S. We are participating in the Global Giving's Girl Fund campaign 1 -15 March! Keep a lookout for our mail in March for the link to the campaign. The project is also in Bangladesh and will support job creation and eye screening and treatment for women.

Screening of Premature Baby

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