To provide quality eye care services in the country, the Health Ministry and Essilor International signed the letter of intent today. Essilor International is the world’s leading ophthalmic optics company playing a key role in visual health.
Essilor will address the two biggest barriers to good vision; access and awareness through various programs.
About 25 per cent of the Bhutanese population suffers from uncorrected and unprotected poor vision. And much of the population is at a higher risk of exposure to UV rays due to high altitude.
Globally uncorrected poor vision affects one in three people making it the world’s largest unaddressed disability.
“We discovered that even though your health care system is outstanding, there was a need to accomplish what is everywhere in the world which is to improve people’s sight. Sometimes people believe that having a good vision is granted for life or that people are used to losing their sight as they grow older,” Hubert Sagnieres, the Chairman and Chief Executive of Essilor, said.
“But with the right eye exams, with the right surgery, with the right eyeglasses, we can either make them discover few things or actually extend their life because they can continue to contribute in the community.”
To meet the immediate need for correction and protection, Essilor will provide 400,000 pairs of eyeglasses to people in need through the ministry.
In addition, Essilor will also help in strengthening the capacity of health professionals on vision care and support advocacy and awareness programs on eye care.
Essilor International also signed a letter of intent with the Central Monastic Body for collaboration in eye care.
