Free health, eye care camp held in Bandarban

A day-long free healthcare and eye care held in Bandarban on Saturday to provide medical services to around 2,000 poor and underprivileged patients from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The initiative aims to bring quality healthcare services to neglected and marginalised communities in the hilly region, organisers said at a press conference held on Thursday at the office of K S Mong, a member of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council, in Madhyapara of Bandarban Sadar.

Uchomong Marma, president of the organising committee, said the camp will be organised at Reicha High School in Bandarban Sadar Union, where patients will receive free general medical consultations, eye examinations, medicines and eyeglasses. He said a team of 10 ophthalmologists and four physicians from Chattogram will provide treatment during the programme.

Around 2,000 patients are expected to benefit from the initiative, with free medicines to be distributed for various eye diseases.

Patients diagnosed with cataracts and requiring surgery will be transported free of charge to Chattogram, where they will undergo cataract operations at Lions Charitable Hospital at no cost, the organisers said.

The programme is being organised under the overall supervision of K S Mong with the support of chairmen of several union councils in Bandarban.

Among those present at the press conference were organising committee members Prokriti Barua, Mahabub Hasan Khan Babul, Saiful Islam, Abdul Mannan and Uchsing Marma, as well as journalists from various print and electronic media outlets.