The Fred Hollows Foundation Opens Bangladesh Office
The new Bangladesh office of The Fred Hollows Foundation was opened on 3 April by the Australian High Commissioner Dr Justin Lee and the CEO of The Fred Hollows Foundation, Brian Doolan. Also present were The Foundation’s Country Program Manager Zareen Khair and Program Coordinator from Australia Lisa Partridge.
The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims at the eradication of avoidable blindness. It operates in disadvantaged communities in Australia as well as throughout developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. It has restored the sight of more than one million people since being set up 15 years ago.
The Fred Hollows Foundation was inspired by Professor Fred Hollows (1929-1993) who was an Australian eye doctor, a skilled surgeon of international renown and a social justice campaigner who championed the right of all people to access high quality affordable eye care and good health.
The Fred Hollows Foundation in Bangladesh is working with the Government of Bangladesh to develop eye care services in Brahmanbaria and Satkhira District Hospitals, among other activities. This will include training local eye care staff, refurbishing and equipping an eye care unit in each hospital, promoting advocacy and coordination of eye care services and supporting the treatment and control of cataract and other eye diseases.
While in Bangladesh, Fred Hollows CEO Brian Doolan took the opportunity to visit eye care clinics and services in the field. He also received a donation of Tk 150,000 for the Foundation’s work from the Australian community in Bangladesh raised at the 2008 Charity Glitter Ball.
The Fred Hollows Foundation is a member of the INGO forum, which also includes Sight Savers International, Orbis International, Helen Keller International and CBM, to coordinate the efforts of international NGOs in Bangladesh working on avoidable blindness.
The Fred Hollows Foundation receives support from private contributors in Australia and abroad and from the Australian Government.
Australian High Commission, Dhaka
7 April 2009
For further information contact: Senior Political & Economic Research Officer, AHC, Dhaka.
Tel: 8813105, E-mail: [email protected]