Australia to help in the treatment of women associated with agriculture sector

Lahore : Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Primary & Secondary Health Care Department, Government of Punjab, College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences (COAVS) Lahore and The Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) Australia for the eye screening and treatment of women associated with agriculture sector in district Jhang, Sahiwal and Khanewal through “Comprehensive Eye Care for Agriculture and Cottage Industry Female Workers Project”.

On behalf of Primary & Secondary Health Care Department, Government of Punjab, COAVS and FHF the MOU was signed by Ali Jan Khan, Secretary, Professor Asad Aslam Khan, Principal and Mr Farooq Awan Country Manager respectively.

Khawaja Imran Nazir, Minister, Primary and Secondary Health Care also attended the ceremony.

Through this project over 400,000 women associated with agriculture sector in district Jhang, Sahiwal and Khanewal will be screened for eye diseases. The project will also provide missing facilities at the eye units of THQs and DHQs in said districts.

Through said projects over 5000 lady health workers, over 200 medical officers and 77 medical technicians will receive training in eye care.

On the occasion The Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Care Department said its unique and innovative project for the eye health of women workers associated with rural agricultural economy of said districts. He further said this project will not only improve their visual outcomes but also help enhance their productivity.

The project shall be implemented by COAVS with the technical and financial assistant of FHF.

Prof Asad Aslam Khan and Farooq Awan, thanked the Minister and Secretary for all their cooperation and facilitation in project implementation. The project activities shall be formally inaugurated by the Minister in Jhang in the third week of November.