Eye screening of children under 5 in slums begins

City Desk :
Eye screening among under-five children living in slums in capital Dhaka has begun for the first time to determine the extent of their eye problems and ways to address them.

On the first day of the screening, the eyes of around 50 children were examined at the Korail slum on Monday, according to a media release issued on Tuesday, reports UNB.

Dr Md Ashiqur Rahman Akanda, associate professor at the National Institute of Ophthalmology & Hospital (NIO&H) led the screening held at BRAC Maternity Centre in the slum.

The screening is being conducted under a joint initiative of Orbis International, the National Eye Care, and BRAC Health Programme.

Organisers said they would conduct similar screening among children living in other slums in the capital who have limited access to eye care.

They said the children who are being identified to have been suffering from vision problems are being referred to NIO&H for treatment under the initiative.

“We’ve taken the initiative to determine the extent of vision problems among under-five children and devise the strategies to address them.