Provide services to rural people

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon the ophthalmologists to go to villages at least a day in a week to spread their services among the rural poor people.
She also urged them to provide improved services including cataract operation to the rural people by setting up eye camps in rural areas in every month.
Hasina was addressing the inaugural function of the 40th Annual National Conference of the Opthalmological Society of Bangladesh at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
With OSB President Dr Deen Mohammad Nurul Haque in the chair, the function was addressed, among others, by Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, PM's Health Adviser Prof Syed Modasser Ali, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Affairs Capt (retd) Dr Mazibur Rahman Fakir, and OSB Secretary General Dr Ziaul Islam Mohammad Ali.
Hasina said there is no alternative to efficient ophthalmologists to check blindness. "For this, the knowledge you acquired will have to be sharpened through research and training and I call upon you to be more interested in this regard."
The prime minister said there are nearly 7.5 lakh visually-impaired people in Bangladesh. "Nearly 80 percent of blindness is due to cataract which is avoidable," she said.
This blindness could be cured through operation, she added.
She called upon physicians, mass media and social workers to create awareness about this.
She said that the rural poor people including women could not take healthcare services timely by visiting the towns due to financial limitation.