Staff Reporter
COMSTECH-the OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build capacity in ophthalmology and prevent blindness in OIC member states through providing training and conducting eye camps in different OIC member states.
The MoU signing ceremony was held at COMSTECH headquarters and signed by Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General, COMSTECH and Maj. Gen. Rehmat Khan (R), President, Al- Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of The Gambia, Prof. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum and Mohammad Adeel, Assistant Director, Science Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan were also present on the occasion.
According to the MoU, Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology (PIO) the academic wing of Al- Shifa Trust Eye Hospital will impart training in ophthalmology, optometry and orthopedics, public health, ophthalmologists, ophthalmic technicians, bio-medical technicians, ophthalmic nurses and ophthalmic nursing assistants of OIC region.
Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital will offer observerships for 4-12 weeks and 1-year clinical fellowships to candidates from OIC countries in the sub-specialties, such as cornea and refractive surgery, Vitreo-retina, Pediatric ophthalmology, Glaucoma and Orbit and Oculoplastic.
Al-Shifa Center for Community Ophthalmology will carry out wide-spread outreach programmes for the prevention of blindness in OIC member states.
A delegation of highly qualified and experienced surgeons will be sent to the pre-selected OIC member states to undertake surgical camps for cataract as well as perform advanced surgical procedures for diseases such as Cornea, Glaucoma, Obits and Oculoplastic, Vitreo-retina, Pediatric eye disorders and, Ocular oncology.
