The world’s only fully-accredited air-based ophthalmic teaching and surgical hospital, the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, has arrived in Bangladesh for the 11th time to conduct a specialized training program in ophthalmology.

The MD-10 aircraft carrying the hospital landed at Chattogram's Shah Amanat International Airport at 12:20 pm on Thursday. Dr. Munir Ahmed, Country Director of Orbis International, Group Captain Shaikh Abdullah Alamgir, Director of Shah Amanat International Airport, and Prof. Dr. Munirujzaman Osmani from Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC), welcomed the team upon arrival.

This year’s program will run from November 17 to 28, marking the 11th Orbis training mission in Bangladesh. The first took place in 1985, with the last held in 2017. During the two-week program, Orbis’s clinical staff and volunteer experts will provide hands-on surgical and patient care training for Bangladeshi eye care professionals. Simulated training and ophthalmic workshops will also be conducted to enhance practical skills.

Orbis International, an international nonprofit providing sight-saving services in over 200 countries, aims to improve eye care skills among local professionals and raise awareness of eye health in Bangladesh through this program.

The training is hosted in partnership with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with support from the Alcon Foundation and FedEx. Additional backing comes from Alcon Cares, the Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh (OSB), the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS), and the National Eye Care (NEC) initiative.

The training sessions will take place both on the aircraft at Shah Amanat International Airport and at Orbis’s partner facility, the Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC). This year’s training will focus on various ophthalmic subspecialties, including cataracts, oculoplastics, surgical retina, pediatric glaucoma, and cornea, as well as anesthesiology, nursing, and biomedical engineering.

"We are honored to bring the Flying Eye Hospital back to Bangladesh in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and CEITC. Our long-term partnerships are vital to expanding access to quality eye care in Bangladesh," said Dr. Munir Ahmed upon arrival.

BDST: 2130 HRS, NOV 14, 2024
MSK