20-1-2024 (SINGAPORE) The Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) has announced a groundbreaking partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a bid to combat blindness and address sight impairment in Southeast Asia. This collaboration marks the first of its kind in the region.
As a result of the partnership, SNEC’s global ophthalmology unit will lend its expertise to the WHO and other countries, facilitating safe and accessible ophthalmic services. This designation also grants SNEC the status of a WHO collaborating centre, joining the ranks of over 800 such centres across more than 80 member states.
The primary focus of the collaboration is to bolster the capacity of the eyecare workforce in the region while providing technical assistance in research to prevent blindness. According to the WHO’s 2022 figures, there are approximately 40 million blind individuals worldwide, with Southeast Asia having one of the highest rates of avoidable blindness, accounting for 28 percent of such cases globally.
Speaking at the 37th Singapore-Malaysia Joint Meeting in Ophthalmology, held at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium on the Singapore General Hospital campus, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan commended the partnership. Formerly the medical director of SNEC, Dr. Balakrishnan emphasized the importance of expanding this collaboration into an ASEAN network, fostering cooperation and maintaining high standards of ophthalmic care and education throughout Southeast Asia.
SNEC and the Singapore Eye Research Institute have been actively engaged with the WHO, providing expert guidance in think tank groups and reviewing policies and guidelines related to evidence-based eyecare reports.
During a media briefing, Professor Aung Tin, Chief Executive of SNEC, highlighted the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in many countries and the need for improved eyecare facilities in the Southeast Asian region. With SNEC now a WHO collaborating centre, one of its key objectives will be to train more eyecare professionals, including ophthalmologists, ophthalmic assistants, technicians, and nurses in neighboring countries. This will be achieved through a train-the-trainer program, enabling trained individuals to return to their respective countries and share their knowledge with their colleagues.
