During a recent meeting with Nepal’s Ambassador to Thailand, who is also accredited to Cambodia, Dhan Bahadur Oli, Sophea praised Nepal for successfully organizing a free eye care camp in Kampong Cham Province on June 4 and 5, which benefited Cambodian citizens.

KATHMANDU, June 8: Cambodia has lauded Nepal’s eye care services, with the country’s permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and personal adviser to the prime minister, Eat Sophea, commending Nepal’s expertise in eye treatment and medical education.

During a recent meeting with Nepal’s ambassador to Thailand, who is also accredited to Cambodia, Dhan Bahadur Oli, Sophea praised Nepal for successfully organizing a free eye care camp in Kampong Cham Province on June 4 and 5, which benefited Cambodian citizens.

According to a statement issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Thailand, Sophea appreciated Nepal’s contribution to improving eye health in Cambodia through the camp. The outreach program was jointly organized by the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, the Lumbini Eye Institute and Research Center (Ran Ambika Shah Eye Hospital), the Nepali Embassy, and Cambodian partner organizations.

The meeting also explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in public health, particularly eye care, along with education, agriculture, tourism, and other areas of mutual interest. Both sides also discussed ways to expand economic and trade relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, Ambassador Oli said Nepal is ready to strengthen Cambodia’s eye care capacity by providing training and technical assistance. He also informed Sophea that Nepal is willing to organize another free eye camp in the near future, citing the strong demand for such services among Cambodian citizens.

The two sides also highlighted the tourism potential between the two countries. They emphasized strengthening ties between Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, and Cambodia’s world-renowned Angkor Wat, with the aim of promoting Buddhist and cultural tourism.

The two-day eye camp in Kampong Cham Province was organized with technical support from the Lumbini Eye Institute and Research Center, operated by the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, and coordinated by the Embassy of Nepal in Thailand, which also covers Cambodia.

Held for the first time at Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital on June 4 and 5, the camp provided free eye screening and treatment to 1,002 Cambodian citizens.

According to Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh Executive Director Dr. Shailesh Kumar Mishra, 641 women and 361 men received services during the camp.

He said 373 patients were provided free medicines, 407 received eyeglasses, and another 192 were given both medicines and eyeglasses.

The camp also identified 93 patients with cataracts, who were referred to the local hospital for further treatment.

Ambassador Oli and Kampong Cham Province Governor Un Chanda jointly inaugurated the eye camp.

Kathmandu, July 20: The Himalaya Eye Hospital Pokhara, run by the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, has provided free eye surgery services to 953 people in various districts of Karnali Province.

The hospital in the last fiscal year, 2082/83, conducted free eye camps for the communities in remote districts that were far from access to services.

According to Subas Nepal, the chief of the hospital’s external programs, last fiscal year the hospital provided eye treatment services to over 17,649 citizens of that province.

During that period, 7,217 people received free eye check-ups through external programs, while 10,432 people received eye treatment services through the hospital’s eye care centers, according to a press release issued by the hospital.

Under Himalaya Eye Hospital, there are eye treatment centers operating in Karnali Province at Chandannath Eye Hospital in Khalanga–Jumla, at Manma–Kalikot, at Simkot–Humla, at Sinja–Jumla, and at Gamgadhi–Mugu.

These hospitals, treatment centers, outreach programs, and free eye camps run at the community level have been providing eye examinations, treatment, necessary advice, and surgical services to people living in geographically remote areas.

According to Dr. Babita Gurung, the chief medical director of the hospital, the hospital provided eye treatment services to 188,914 people last fiscal year through its outpatient department alone.

The hospital stated that 106,459 women and 82,498 men benefited from the service. Among the total beneficiaries, about 56 percent are women and 44 percent are men.

Surendra Thapamagar, Chairman of the Himalaya Eye Hospital Management Committee, stated that a plan has been promoted to further expand and strengthen specialized eye treatment services in Karnali Province.

“There is a plan to provide regular specialist services through an eye specialist based in Jumla and to render services in the other three districts of Karnali by establishing ‘surgical centers’ there so that eye surgery services are available locally,” he said.

According to him, the hospital is taking initiatives to expand specialist and surgical services to the remote areas at the district level in the province to reduce the need to travel far even for basic eye care and eye surgeries. (RSS).