Laos has expressed a strong interest in replicating the successful eye treatment model of Nepal's Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology. This potential collaboration arose during a free eye camp held in Laos from February 5th to 7th. Dr. Sanduk Ruit, the renowned ophthalmologist who led the Tilganga team, met with Laos' Health Minister, Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, who formally proposed the partnership.
Minister Phoummalaysith commended Tilganga's achievements in delivering impactful results with limited resources and expressed a desire to implement a similar system in Laos. The proposed collaboration will involve training Laotian doctors, health workers, and technicians in Nepal. Simultaneously, Tilganga will send expert teams to Laos to provide on-the-ground guidance and support.
"Laos faces a significantly higher rate of eye-related issues, including cataracts, than Nepal—four times higher," Dr. Ruit explained. "Their goal is to address this disparity by adopting the Tilganga model. We will focus on training their personnel to build local capacity, after which they will implement the established system."
The initiative has garnered financial support from two prominent organizations: Australia's Fred Hollows Foundation and the US-based Cure Blindness project.
Dr. Ruit highlighted the potential for the partnership to extend beyond eye care. "Laos and Nepal share several commonalities. Both are landlocked Asian nations with substantial hydropower potential and a shared Buddhist heritage. Laos deeply respects Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha," he noted. "Laos exports hydropower to Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, an area where Nepal can gain valuable insights."
During the three-day eye camp, Dr. Ruit's team, which included Dr. Bandana Khanal and other technical and health staff, performed cataract surgeries on 265 patients. Among them were 15 individuals who had been completely blind.
One particularly moving case involved a 61-year-old chemistry teacher who had been blind for two years. Following the surgery, he expressed immense joy at regaining his sight and the ability to return to teaching. "The very next day, he could see clearly and was incredibly happy," shared Namkha Lama, an ophthalmic officer at Tilganga.
The free eye camp was a joint effort organized by Nepal's Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Singapore's A New Vision, Laos' Phongsavanh Foundation, and Mahosot Hospital. The initiative also received support from Raju Shrestha, Nepal's honorary consul general in Laos.
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