1.2 million elderly people receive free eye examination and consultation

According to a report from the Vietnam Association of the Elderly, after more than 1 year of implementing the "Bright Eyes for the Elderly" Program, 1.2 million elderly people nationwide have received free eye examinations and consultations on eye diseases, and nearly 200,000 elderly people have been treated for eye diseases.

The program "Bright Eyes for the Elderly" has been deployed and organized from the central to local levels. Initially, the program has had a widespread impact in the community, receiving response and support from sectors, unions, social organizations, charities and a part of the people.

After more than 1 year of implementation, the program has achieved positive results. As of June 2013, over 1.2 million elderly people have been examined and consulted for free about eye diseases; nearly 200,000 elderly people have been treated for eye diseases, including cataract surgery, with a total cost of 115 billion VND. This funding comes from medical units, local Red Cross Associations, organizations, individuals, domestic and international philanthropists, religious organizations... and from the mobilization of the local Elderly Association; in some places, the Elderly Association has taken money from the Association's funds to help elderly people with difficult lives to receive eye treatment.

In 2012, the Vietnam Red Cross Central Committee directed all levels of the Association to mobilize philanthropists, medical units, and businesses to provide free examinations and consultations to over 36,000 elderly people, perform cataract surgery for over 8,000 elderly people, and give glasses to over 2,000 elderly people with a total cost of over 22 billion VND. In the first 6 months of 2013, the Vietnam Red Cross Central Committee continued to mobilize all levels of the Association, international organizations, and charitable organizations to support funding for 62 poor districts.

International Eye Hospital (DND) has coordinated with the Association of the Elderly at all levels of 9 provinces in the North to organize examinations, consultations, and medicine for over 190,000 elderly people, and perform eye surgery for 1,676 elderly people, with a total free amount of over 8.5 billion VND. Hitec Eye Hospital has provided free eye examinations and treatment worth over 4 billion VND to the elderly.

Many provinces and cities have a high number of elderly people examined, consulted and treated for eye diseases such as: Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, Hanoi, Tien Giang, Hai Duong, Nghe An, Vinh Phuc, Ninh Binh, Thua Thien Hue, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen... During the implementation process, the Provincial Elderly Association Representative Board has proactively coordinated closely and effectively with the health sector, specifically assigning the provincial Eye Hospital to organize eye examination and treatment for the elderly.

However, during the implementation process, the Program still has some limitations and weaknesses, namely: some provinces and cities have not fully recognized the profound meaning and importance of the "Bright Eyes for the Elderly" program, and still think that this is a professional task of the health sector, so they do not actively coordinate and direct closely. Some provinces have implemented slowly, facing difficulties, especially provinces in remote and mountainous areas in the North and the Central Highlands; the mobilization of support for 62 poor districts nationwide is still very limited both at the central level and in provinces and cities.

To help more elderly people nationwide, especially those in difficult circumstances, in remote areas, and ethnic minority areas, to access the "Bright Eyes for the Elderly" Program, in the coming time, the Elderly Association at all levels will strengthen coordination with the health sector of provinces and cities to provide free medical examination, consultation, and treatment for the elderly; seek help from private eye hospitals, charitable medical examination and treatment organizations at home and abroad, and the Red Cross clinic system at all levels; mobilize support for eye examination and treatment for the elderly in 62 poor districts nationwide.…

According to (CPV) - NM