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The Malaysia Cataract Carnival successfully restored sight for 60 Malaysians, addressing critical preventable blindness concerns through collaborative healthcare efforts. This initiative, a joint venture between the tun Hussein Onn National Eye hospital and the Ministry of Health, provided free cataract surgeries to low-income individuals, highlighting Malaysia’s commitment to accessible eye care. With cataracts causing significant vision impairment among the aging population, learn how the partnership of Hospital Ampang, Hospital Serdang, and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah are working to combat this, and the importance of early intervention, emphasized by Datuk Dr. Nor Fariza Ngah, deputy Director-general of Health. News Directory 3 can definitely help you stay informed. Discover what’s next, including future expansions of this sight-saving programme.
Malaysia Cataract Carnival Restores Sight to 60
The tun Hussein Onn National Eye hospital and Malaysia’s Ministry of Health collaborated to launch the first Cataract Carnival, providing free cataract surgeries to 60 low-income (B40) Malaysians over two days. The initiative aims to combat preventable blindness and promote early detection and equal access to quality eye care.
The National Eye Survey III indicates that nearly 160,000 Malaysians aged 50 and above suffer from low vision,with 8% experiencing blindness.Cataracts are responsible for over half of these cases.
Hospital Ampang, hospital Serdang, and Hospital tengku Ampuan Rahimah joined forces with the Eye Hospital, providing medical teams to facilitate patient referrals and perform the cataract surgeries.
Datuk Dr. Nor Fariza Ngah, deputy Director-General of Health, emphasized the importance of early intervention and cross-sector collaboration at the launch. She noted that in 2024, over 66,000 cataract surgeries were performed, primarily on patients around 65 years old, demonstrating Malaysia’s commitment to restoring sight among older adults.
Cataracts remain a leading cause of vision impairment. Without treatment, they can considerably reduce quality of life and create socioeconomic challenges. The Cataract Carnival seeks to close access gaps and prevent long-term complications related to vision loss.
Restoring vision restores not only sight but also dignity and independence.
tan Sri Tengku Azlan, the hospital chairman, stated that restoring vision restores not only sight but also dignity and independence. He emphasized the shared duty of the public and private sectors in expanding access to quality eye care. CEO Dato’ Michael Goh added that the hospital has been committed to ensuring accessible, quality eye care for nearly 40 years.
What’s next
The hospital plans to expand similar initiatives with the Ministry of Health, aiming to further reduce preventable blindness and extend quality eye care across Malaysia.