Orbis International President and CEO Kathleen A Sherwin has stated that eye care should not be viewed as a standalone service, but as an integral component of comprehensive health care.
She made these observations while speaking at a reception dinner hosted by Orbis at a Cox’s Bazar hotel on Sunday.
The event was attended by representatives from Orbis’s partners and key stakeholders, including the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), UN agencies, government bodies, and local and international NGOs.
Sherwin expressed her appreciation for the relevant government agencies and stakeholders regarding their roles in delivering services to the Rohingya people sheltered in Cox’s Bazar. “Together, you have not only delivered care – you have built a model that the world can learn from,” she said.
In his welcome address, Orbis International Bangladesh Country Director Dr Munir Ahmed noted that the initial emergency phase received significant support from the RRRC office, which enabled the identification of key partner eye hospitals and operational areas.
Earlier on Sunday, Sherwin inaugurated the relocated Court Bazar Vision Center of Orbis International at Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. Officials from the Orbis International Bangladesh Country Office and partner health facility, Cox’s Bazar Baitush Sharaf Hospital (CBBSH), were present at the inauguration.
Orbis and its partners anticipate that the relocated centre will improve access to primary eye care for both host communities and Rohingya refugees in the surrounding areas. During the ceremony, Sherwin emphasised the need to strengthen community-based eye care systems to ensure no one is left behind.
She also visited outreach eye screening activities at a Rohingya camp, conducted by partner organisations Alliance for Cooperation and Legal Aid Bangladesh (ACLAB) and CBBSH. She also toured the Balukhali Vision Center in Ukhiya to understand the impact of community-based interventions through discussions with staff and service seekers.
During her visit to the Rohingya camp, the Orbis head interacted with a patient’s family, gaining insight into the challenges displaced communities face in accessing eye care.
She also toured Cox’s Bazar Baitush Sharaf Hospital to meet with doctors and management to review efforts to strengthen hospital-based services.
The reception was attended by Orbis International’s Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Mark White, Director Program Finance Oury Diallo, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Abu Saleh Mohammad Obaidullah, RRRC Health Coordinator Dr Abu Toha MRH Bhuiyan, and Cox’s Bazar 250-bed Sadar Hospital Superintendent Dr Maung Ting Neo, among others.
Sherwin’s visit to Cox’s Bazar is part of a broader tour of Bangladesh aimed at reviewing Orbis programmes, engaging with partners, and exploring opportunities to expand equitable and sustainable eye care services across the country.
