Foreign Minister Bob Carr recently announced a new $1 million avoidable blindness initiative in Laos during his visit to the Vientiane Ophthalmology Centre.
Senator Carr explained that Australian support will include the delivery of primary eye care, training for nurses, eye doctors and ophthalmologists, as well as provision of equipment for testing.
Senator Carr pointed out that Eye care services lack sufficient funding, trained health workers and appropriate equipment. However, access to services that are available is often made difficult due to the distances between villages and clinics.
“Restoring a person’s vision has immediate and significant benefits for those who suffer blindness and for those who care for them. Girls and women are most often called on to sacrifice education, employment and mobility to care for a blind relative. When vision is restored in instances like this, then the enrolment of girls in schools goes up.” Senator Carr commented.
Senator Carr explained that the funding would be available over the next two financial years, 2013/14 and 2014/15.