Cambodia has officially launched the National Strategic Plan on Blindness Prevention and Control 2021-2030.
The launching ceremony in Phnom Penh last week was chaired by H.E. Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health and H.E. Pablo Kang, Australian Ambassador to Cambodian.
Addressing the function, H.E. Mam Bunheng thanked the Australian Embassy, the Fred Hollows Foundation, the National Eye Health Programme of the Ministry of Health, and other eye health organisations for their joint efforts to develop this national strategic plan.
The national strategic plan is a very important tool to guide health institutions and stakeholders to invest in and develop programmes to improve the quality of eye health services and prevent avoidable blindness in Cambodia.
Early this week, the embassy donated paediatric ophthalmology equipment to Calmette Hospital in contribution to preventing childhood blindness in Cambodia.
The prevalence of childhood blindness in Cambodia is approximately 1.5 per 1,000 children. The long-term effects of childhood blindness include limited education and employment opportunities.
Australia has long been a supporter of the health system in Cambodia, including eye care.
