The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital has returned to Danang for the fifth time, delivering advanced hands-on training to more than 230 ophthalmology professionals from central Vietnam and the Central Highlands.
The international non-governmental organisation launched the three-week programme at Danang International Airport on July 28 in partnership with Danang Eye Hospital and Vietnamese authorities. The mission also marks 30 years of Orbis supporting eye care in Vietnam.
More than 20 volunteer ophthalmology specialists from seven countries are taking part in the programme.
Vietnamese medical professionals will receive practical instruction through simulated surgery, one-to-one mentoring and clinical case discussions, focusing on cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and oculoplastic surgery.
Training is being conducted aboard the MD-10 Flying Eye Hospital, a specially converted aircraft equipped with an operating theatre and a medical simulation centre.
Participants will also use Cybersight, Orbis's telemedicine platform, to consult with international specialists before and after the on-site training.
Nguyen Thi Anh Thi, vice chairwoman of the Danang People's Committee, said the city first welcomed the Flying Eye Hospital in 2006.
She said the programme not only provides treatment for patients with limited access to specialist care but also strengthens local medical capacity to meet the eye care needs of nearly 9 million people across central Vietnam and the Central Highlands.
Duong Huy Luong, deputy director of the Medical Services Administration under the Ministry of Health, described the initiative as a practical programme that aligns with Vietnam's strategy for expanding telemedicine.
"The Flying Eye Hospital enhances the professional capacity of healthcare workers in central Vietnam and the Central Highlands while providing access to advanced clinical skills that can help reduce preventable blindness in a sustainable way," Luong said.
According to Orbis, the organisation has trained more than 40,000 ophthalmology professionals in Vietnam since 1996, supported eye examinations for 5.2 million people and helped perform more than 139,000 eye surgeries.
Orbis has also funded the establishment of 17 treatment centres for retinopathy of prematurity and worked with Vietnamese partners to develop national clinical guidelines for eye care.
