Chinese medical team promotes eye care in Maldives

COLOMBO, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese ophthalmic medical expert group in the Maldives published an open letter in local media on Monday to raise public awareness about the prevention and treatment of eye diseases.

The letter put forward suggestions on the prevention and control of myopia in local children and teenagers and eye diseases in the elderly, and passed on to the Maldives the idea of "paying attention to universal eye health" advocated by China's "Sight Day" this year.

"In patients visiting the China-Maldives ophthalmology center, we have found that children, adolescents, and the elderly populations require special attention in ophthalmology. This is similar to our observation in China," said the letter.

The letter was initiated by Chen Weirong, a professor at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University.

Since 2017, she has traveled to the Maldives five times for medical aid, leading a team of ophthalmic experts to provide free eye screening and cataract surgery for local residents, which has been welcomed by local doctors and patients.

In February, an assistance and cooperation program for the China-Maldives ophthalmology center was launched at Hulhumale Hospital in the Maldives.

As the head of the center, Chen led the Chinese medical team not only to cure many patients with difficult and severe eye diseases, but also to train local medical staff to improve the ability of ophthalmic diagnosis and treatment.

Chen said that the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University will also invite Maldivian ophthalmic medical staff to Guangzhou this year for exchange and study.

Through regular clinical training and online clinical technology exchanges between medical personnel of the two countries, the clinical skills of local doctors and nurses at the China-Maldives ophthalmology center have been continuously improved.