VietJet Air has committed a grant of VND 23 billion (USD 1 Million) to Orbis International for establishment of eye screening and treatment centres.
Orbis Singapore, an affiliate of Orbis International, announced in August 2019 that the airline VietJet Air has agreed to funding of USD 1 million to support the expansion of Orbis eye treatment facilities across Vietnam. The grant agreement was entered into by both parties at a ceremony to mark the visit of Orbis’s Flying Eye Hospital to Hue, Vietnam.
Orbis focuses on the promotion of eye health and prevention of avoidable blindness in developing countries. It has been active in Vietnam since 1996 and currently has 11 treatment and screening centres catering to infants and diabetics. In 2019, Orbis conducted 227,678 screenings and performed 9,297 eye surgeries.
Funds from VietJet Air will enable Orbis to supplement the number of treatment and screening centres to 17 facilities over the next few years, with the six additional centres to be located in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Danang, Dak Lak, Thanh Hoa, and Binh Dinh.
“We at VietJet are pleased to help Orbis grow their successful treatment network here in Vietnam that assists infants and older diabetic patients to avoid blindness”, said Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of Vietjet. “Orbis is a well-known international non-profit organisation with strong backing from the aviation and health communities as well as many other sponsors.”
Norman C.T. Liu, an Orbis Singapore Board Member said, “The VietJet grant will each year literally enable thousands more screenings and treatments to be done in Vietnam to mitigate infant and diabetic retinopathy, which are the cause of 30% of child blindness and blindness in those over age 35 respectively.”
Apart from Vietnam, Orbis is also present in 18 countries around the world. Its activities are supported by faculty volunteers and global corporate partners such as AAAASFI accreditation, Alcon Foundation, FedEx, Foundation L’OCCITANE, Jebsen, OMEGA, Pfizer, Standard Chartered Bank and Collins Aerospace who share its vision to transform lives through the prevention and treatment of blindness.