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Standard
Chartered Bank steps up efforts to eradicate curable blindness
Funds
Glaucoma Unit at the Lions Gift of Sight Hospital in Panadura
Standard
Chartered Bank has addressed the increasing risk of Glaucoma
related blindness in the country by setting up an exclusive
Glaucoma Unit at the Lions Gift of Sight Hospital in Panadura.
Equipment valued at Rs 3.25 Million was handed over to the
hospital by CEO, Clive Haswell as part of the Bank’s
long term commitment to eradicate curable blindness in Sri
Lanka.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world,
according to the World Health Organisation. People over 60,
family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and
people who are severely nearsighted are most at risk. Glaucoma
is detected through the use of specialised equipment and if
left unchecked will lead to progressive loss of sight. Glaucoma
is a condition that is irreversible and as such, the burden
on early detection is greater.
The Visual Field Recording Analyzer helps to identify the
gradual reduction in the angle of vision caused by Glaucoma
and can be treated and controlled in accordance thereafter.
The Visual Field Recording Analyzer, donated by Standard Chartered
Bank, is only the third of its kind in Colombo.
“We hope this equipment can provide early detection of
Glaucoma to those who would not otherwise be able to detect
and minimise the impact of this disease. We see it as part
of the next phase of our commitment to increase the support
that we have been providing the Lions Hospital and also inline
with the next phase of the Bank’s ‘Seeing is Believing’
programme,” said Clive Haswell, CEO, Standard Chartered
Bank.
Standard Chartered has been working closely with the Lions
Gift of Sight Hospital Panadura over the years, providing
over 20 cataract operations a month, free of charge to patients
who could not otherwise afford the operations and after care.
Also providing equipment for eye surgery to regional hospitals,
Standard Chartered has funded training of ophthalmologists
in Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SISC) as well as providing
them the micro instruments they require, training ophthalmic
theatre nurses and providing eye-care, training for over 175
health care workers. At a grass roots level, volunteers organised
free eye testing for the public through mobile eye testing
units, regular refurbishment of the Ratmalana Blind School,
as well reading and recording books for the visually impaired.
Standard Chartered Bank’s work with the Lion’s Gift
of Sight Hospital is part of its ‘Seeing is Believing’
(SiB) programme. SiB both helps to build healthy communities
and supports economic growth by helping visually impaired
people and also their dependents, families and communities.
SiB has progressively evolved from curing blindness, to prevention,
to building sustainable eye-care services and capacity.
As part of the Bank’s commitment to the World Health
Organisation’s Vision 2020 programme, it has set a target
to raise USD 20 million in funds for eye-care projects across
the world. The recipients will be in 20 cities targeted in
key locations within the Bank’s footprint and will benefit
20 million people. Projects will target less advantaged populations,
providing healthcare services. The projects will provide sustainable
solutions for all eye-care needs from outreach and awareness
to spectacles and surgery.
“Standard Chartered Bank is making a great contribution
towards eye-care in Sri Lanka. Their commitment has been recognised
globally and here in Sri Lanka too, we are indebted to them
for the commitment and assistance they have provided in expanding
these services to the truly underprivileged through the Lions
Gift of Sight Hospital, “said Mahendra Amarasooriya,
Immediate Past President of Lions International and Chairman
LCIF. Initiated in 2003 and driven by the Bank’s
employees, ‘Seeing is Believing’ is helping tackle
avoidable blindness, 90 per cent of which is found in the
developing world where the Bank’s business is rooted.
Globally, Standard Chartered Bank is now recognised as the
single biggest corporate sponsor of avoidable blindness projects
around the world. Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka is also
the single largest corporate donor to ‘Vision Care.’
The urban focus of the programme reflects the increasing incidence
of avoidable blindness in cities, especially as urbanisation
swells the numbers of people living in less advantaged urban
areas, where access to eye care is poor and awareness around
eye health is low.
The services will be comprehensive, delivering community eye
health education and awareness raising, together with a range
of interventions, from spectacle provision, to surgery, according
to need. The services will also be sustainable, designed
to support marginalised and excluded populations both now
and in the future.
In the design and implementation of the programme, the Bank
is working with the International Association for the Prevention
of Blindness, the World Health Organisation and leading eye
care NGOs.
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