People wait to receive free eye treatment as part of the Prey Veng Cataract Eradication Project in Prey Veng province. GX Foundation
More than 10,000 Cambodians have been screened and treated for cataracts and other eye-related diseases through two joint projects between the Ministry of Health and China's GX Foundation. Cataracts remain the leading cause of bilateral blindness in the country.
Upon conclusion of the Prey Veng Cataract Eradication Project, 3,891 citizens in Prey Veng and surrounding provinces had received free surgery and 5,367 were treated for other conditions, according to the ministry.
The 18-month project began in December 2022, during which teams of 63 Chinese ophthalmologists were sent to Cambodia eight times, with each visit lasting four to six weeks.
In June, the foundation announced that following the completion of its initiative in the province, it would continue to support Cambodians in other areas to improve their quality of life.
Prior to the Prey Veng project, the foundation also conducted a mission in Kampong Cham, providing free cataract surgery to more than 6,000 people.
Additionally, two mobile ophthalmology consultation and treatment vehicles, along with a minibus for transporting patients, were donated to the provincial referral hospital and health department.
Chukmol Kossama, deputy director of Preah Ang Duong Hospital, stated that every day, between 300 and 400 people visit the hospital to have their eyes checked and treated for various ailments, especially on weekends.
She noted that most of the patients suffer from myopia and cataracts. She said they also face issues such as dry eyes, glaucoma and other eye diseases.
“More people are visiting the hospital. I believe that a place where service is provided quickly will attract more and more visitors,” she said.
“Our people are also more aware of eye diseases now. When they have a minor problem, they come for a consultation; they do not wait as long as they used to,” she added.
According to the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness Survey 2007 (RAAB 2007), an estimated 43,800 people in the country are bilaterally blind – meaning blind in both eyes – representing a 0.38 per cent prevalence rate among the population.
The rate is higher among the female population aged 50 years and over (3.4 per cent) compared to the male population in the same age group (2 per cent).
The survey also indicated that the most common cause of bilateral blindness for people aged 50 and above is cataracts (74.7 per cent), followed by corneal scars (8 per cent), posterior segment diseases (4.9 per cent), glaucoma (3.1 per cent), refractive errors (2.7 per cent) and uncorrected aphakia (1.8 per cent).
"In Cambodia, 90.2 per cent of all bilateral blindness is avoidable, with 79.1 per cent curable and 11.1 per cent preventable through the provision of effective eye care services,” the report stated.
After completing the two projects, the two sides held discussions and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on other initiatives.
Health minister Chheang Ra and GX Foundation chairman Leung Chun Ying met to discuss plans to eliminate cataracts in Kampong Speu province on July 29, according to the ministry.
The project is expected to make a significant contribution to improving the healthcare system, achieving the goal of eliminating preventable blindness by 2030, and achieving universal health coverage so that “no one is left behind”.
In addition, the two sides also signed an MoU on a project to fight dengue fever in Kampong Speu from 2024-2026.
The ministry pointed out that the project aims to prevent and manage the risk of outbreaks to combat the epidemic. It also seeks to strengthen the healthcare system to improve the quality of services and the development of human resources.
