State Minister for Health Dr M A Muhit on Thursday expressed optimism that Bangladesh would eliminate cataract blindness within the next four to five years through a coordinated national initiative involving the government, private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
"A nationwide cataract surgery program will be implemented for elderly citizens, with several hundred thousand successful operations to be carried out annually to eliminate cataract-related blindness within the next four to five years," he said.
He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a stakeholder consultation workshop titled "Advanced Eye Care in Bangladesh: Action Plan for Reducing Visual Impairment and Preventing Blindness" at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.
An international public health and eye care specialist, Muhit said advanced eye care services powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and modern technology would be expanded to ensure quality treatment reaches poor and marginalized people as a basic citizens' right.
He said Bangladesh has made significant progress in eye care through the combined efforts of the government, private sector and NGOs, but the country still lacks a unified reporting system.
To address the issue, he said the government is preparing a five-year national perspective plan incorporating a common reporting mechanism to strengthen eye care services across the country.
Under the plan, the first year will focus on reassessing existing eye care facilities and planning services at district hospitals, followed by measures to improve infrastructure, recruit additional manpower where necessary and enhance service capacity.
The state minister said the government also plans to introduce comprehensive eye care services for people of all age groups.
As part of the initiative, school-based screening programs will be launched to identify vision problems among children and provide corrective glasses, while workers in factories, offices and other institutions will receive regular eye health services and access to spectacles.
Highlighting the growing burden of diabetic retinopathy, Muhit said modern technologies have significantly improved the delivery of eye care services at the grassroots level.
He stressed that advanced eye care services should not remain confined to urban areas but must be made accessible to people living in remote and underserved regions.
Describing the shortage of skilled human resources as a major challenge, the state minister called for greater investment in training and capacity building for ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals.
He also underscored the need to expand both the number and quality of government and private training institutions.
Acting Director of the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital Prof Dr A S M M Quadir also addressed the workshop, while representatives of the ARK Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO) presented the keynote paper.