Orbis Flying Eye Hospital to provide vision screening

Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is preparing to hold a three-week workshop on eye care starting August 30 in cooperation with the Ministry of Health.

Eye doctors from the international nonprofit non-governmental organization will also perform eye surgeries with surgeons at the National Center for Maternal and Child Health.

Orbis launched a four-year project in Mongolia in 2014 to establish a model for comprehensive vision care that provides services from basic vision screening to the management of more complex pediatric eye disorders. Since then, it has been working closely with the National Center for Maternal and Child Health (NCMCH), the main provider of children’s eye care in the country, and five county-level hospitals in rural Mongolia.

During a press conference on Tuesday, President and CEO of Orbis International John Ranck underlined the need to advocate for better eye care services and eye health awareness and work with policymakers to address unmet needs, like access to refraction screening and to corrective lenses, particularly for children in Mongolia.

Minister of Health D.Sarangerel said, “Orbis Flying Eye Hospital first landed in Mongolia in 1989 and now it is working in Mongolia for the eighth year. Their work is greatly appreciated by Mongolians. Over the years, Orbis provided eye care services to 66,000 Mongolian children, out of which 2,508 premature infants received vision screening to provide early detection of eye disease. Thanks to this, these children are able to see the world with their own eyes.”

“Orbis is opening opportunities to teach Mongolian eye doctors how to use modern eye care technology at their hospital and provide vision screening on airplane. This time, not only will 256 doctors be trained but 225 people will also get their eyes checked. ”

The hospital is carrying out the project in Khovd, Khuvsgul, Uvurkhanga and Orkhon provinces to improve access to high quality, affordable eye care services in urban and rural areas.