DHAKA, Oct 26, 2024 (BSS) – Experts in a workshop here today put emphasis on forming a network, comprising local and international eye scientists, for gender mainstreaming in eye health to ensure equity and access to eye care for all.

They came up with the announcement at a consultative workshop on mainstreaming gender in eye health organized by Orbis International in a city hotel today.

Local and international NGOs working for eye health, public health experts, public health ophthalmologists, clinicians in eye health, gender experts and development specialists need to be included in such network, they added.  

The Bangladesh Chapter Chair of the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and President of Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh (OSB), Prof Dr AHM Enayet Hussain presided over its first meeting, said a press release this evening.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof AHM Enayet said the rates of females’ enrolment in medical education and in the higher studies in ophthalmology are higher than males, but still women lag far behind males in receiving eye care services.

Highlighting the social barriers to seeking eye care and wearing glasses to correct poor vision or refractive errors, he said all relevant actors should come up to join hands with the health sector to end the situation.

"We need a multi-sector action plan under which we'll work together for the entire society," he added.

Dr Munir, Country Director of Orbis International, said huge efforts are being made for gender mainstreaming, but it is time to proceed with the priorities, operationalize a well-designed inclusive plan that is measurable and may be used to document the best practices already done.

He announced that Orbis would always remain by those who are working for gender equity and mainstreaming agenda.

Dr Khaleda Islam, former Director of Primary Health Care at DGHS, said a multi-sectoral and whole-society approach is needed to address inclusion and equity for enhancing universal eye health coverage.

Professor at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dr Nuzhat Choudhury stressed the need for sending skilled ophthalmologists to district level to bring more females under eye health coverage.

Equality and human rights activist, Sheepa Hafiza, Nilufer Karim, gender specialist and Executive Director of Faith Bangladesh, Shahanoor Akter Chowdhury, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor to Save the Children, Gazi Nazrul Islam Faisal, Director (Community Service) at Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, Dr Afsana Habib Sheuly, Head of Health and Nutrition at Helen Keller, Dr Farhana Huq, Director Health at Red Orange International, Masum Billah, Programme Head at BRAC, Nazme Sabina, Chief Executive at DevResonance, Dr Selina Amin, team leader of ProNurse Project at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Anika Rahman Lipy, Assistant Director at Center for Disability in Development (CDD), Zeehan Abedin, Senior Project Manager at the Fred Hollows Foundation, BM Zahidul Islam, Programme Manager at Sightsavers, Dr Rahmanu Anjala, Programme Manager at BRAC, Syed Mushahid Ahmed, General Secretary at BNSB Moulvibazar, Md Nurul Alom Siddikqe, and Project Manager at the Fred Hollows Foundation took part in discussion.