GUYANA-HEALTH- Eye care professionals to discuss prevention and eradication of blindness at regional conference

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Jul 7, CMC – Professionals in the field of Ophthalmology will be focusing on the prevention and eradication of blindness across the region at the 28th Annual Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies being held here.
The regional symposium brings together for four-days, eminent teams of ophthalmic surgeons and clinicians, nurses and technicians, ophthalmic pharmaceutical and equipment distributors, from across the region, towards promoting the best eye-care.
The representatives will also discuss the fostering of lifelong ophthalmic education and research, and cultural exchange .
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence delivering remarks at the opening of the conference, restated the Guyana’s Government commitment to providing the best healthcare for its populace.
Speaking specifically about providing quality eye and vision care for Guyana, he reiterated that this is a key priority for the Ministry.
The Minister said that the expectations are high that the outcome of the conference will further the government’s effort, particularly as it is expected to promote capacity-building among stakeholders involved in the provision of eye care services in Guyana.
On that note, she expressed satisfaction that the Conference’s mission embodies measures to mitigate visual impairment through the dissemination of information, workshops and dialogue among the ophthalmologists in the Region.
“Providing eye care services constitutes an important dimension of delivering comprehensive primary health care and in the long term contributes to economic growth, development and sustainability. As the onus of visual impairment decreases in our populations, our social and economic well-being is enhanced, which brings us ever closer to the realisation of our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)….. We must invest at all costs and intensify our efforts to overcome the prevalence of visual impairment”, the Health Minister said.
The OSWI, the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies is the principal regional voice for Ophthalmology in the West Indies .
Founded by a group of Caribbean Ophthalmologists 1990. It brings together ophthalmic clinicians, regional representatives, students, nurses, government, corporate and affiliate partners in its quest to eradicate and prevent blindness in the Caribbean.
The annual conference is held in a different country in the Caribbean each year.