Million dollar grant for Blindness Prevention Programme in India

ORBIS International, a nonprofit humanitarian organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide, has received a $5,000,000 grant from American International Group, Inc. (AIG) to ensure the growth of its long-term blindness prevention programs in the developing world. The funding will be used to expand the organization's work in Vietnam, China, India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Latin America. "Because the fight against avoidable blindness requires comprehensive long-term solutions, ORBIS implements ongoing country programs in order to build sustainable eye care infrastructure and services. These programs address not just the quality of eye care, but the full spectrum of what is needed to connect patients to care. Our partnership with AIG is what makes our work possible," said Geoffrey Holland, ORBIS International executive director. The latest contribution from AIG runs from October 2007 through September 2012. Initially, the grant will be devoted to combating blindness by providing sustainable eye care services in India China, and Vietnam. Projects will address the practical, systemic challenges facing service providers, such as developing pediatric ophthalmology centers in India, improving rural services in Vietnam, and fostering affordable rural eye care services in western China. AIG's investment will enable ORBIS to bring further surgical or medical treatment to patients in areas of greatest need and enhance the skills of local doctors and medical professionals to better care for their communities. From the AIG grant, $1 million will be utilized by ORBIS India to support programmes in the country to eliminate avoidable blindness in children. The allocated grant is for a period of four years and will be used to support projects carried on by three new partners – MGM Eye Institute, Raipur, Chattisgarh; Suraj Eye Institute, Nagpur, Maharashtra; and Khairabad Eye Hospital, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. All the projects will be for four years. In India, ORBIS has nearly 29 projects focusing on childhood and corneal blindness as well as assisting local agencies to establish eye banking and enhance the management skills of ORBIS partners through training and infrastructure support. Long history of partnership and collaboration At each stage of ORBIS's development, AIG has contributed, whether early on with the Flying Eye Hospital (a fully equipped state-of-the-art surgical and training facility housed inside a specially converted DC-10 aircraft) or over the last decade as ORBIS launched country programs in Asia and Africa. Today, AIG has the distinction of being the leading corporate supporter of ORBIS country programs in Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Vietnam and Latin America. Martin Sullivan, AIG president and CEO says, "AIG is proud of our long-term partnership with ORBIS and inspired by its achievements throughout the world. We know that our investment will bring sight and a brighter future to many individuals in these important regions." The partnership announcement was initially launched at the ORBIS 25th Anniversary celebration in New York on March 1, 2007. About ORBIS International ORBIS International is a nonprofit humanitarian organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide. Since 1982, ORBIS volunteers and staff have directly treated more than 4.4 million people for blindness-related diseases and conditions in 85 countries. ORBIS has been building local capacity to provide eye care in those countries by training more than 154,000 eye care professionals aboard the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital and in local hospitals. Long-term national blindness prevention programs take place in Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India and Vietnam. ORBIS has a long standing relationship with India that dates back to 1988 when the DC-8 Flying Eye Hospital landed in Hyderabad on its first program to save sight in India. Since then, 16 Flying Eye Hospital programs and more than 100 hospital-based training programs have been conducted throughout the country in various subspecialties of ophthalmology. In 2000, a permanent ORBIS country office was established. Working with its local partners, ORBIS India facilitates the training of both clinical and non-clinical staff in predominantly rural areas. These individuals can then diagnose and treat eye problems on their own, no longer needing to refer patients to far-away eye clinics. To learn more about ORBIS, visit www.orbis.org

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