Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, FHF join hands

Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology and Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) joined hands to strengthen national human resources, services delivery, advocacy, innovation and technology.
The five-year partnership agreement and memorandum of understanding signed today between Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology representing the Nepal Eye Programme and the Australian non-governmental organisation FHF has been build over two decades of achievement delivering eye health services across and beyond Nepal, said medical director of Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology Dr Sanduk Ruit at the signing ceremony.
One of the crowning achievements of the partnership has been the success of Fred Hallows Intraocular Lens Laboratory that is fully independent and has manufactured over four million lenses for export to more than 75 countries, he said, adding that the institute has also been training doctors and nurses from various countries.
According to the institute, it has earned Rs 145 million in the last fiscal year from the sale of lenses in and out of the country. Out of the total earnings, 54 per cent is from the export of the lenses, it added.
"The FHF has joined hands with Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology to extend the world class service, that it is offering, to other countries too," said chief executive of FHF Brain Doolan.
The FHF will support the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology to recreate its model in other countries, he said, adding that it will also make the governments around the world understand it makes sense in investing on eye health that is cheaper and effective compared to other health investments.
Five years down the line, FHF sees the partnership will help Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology provide more skilled trainings to fellow doctors and nurses from other countries, develop new technology in Nepal that could be exported to developing and developed markets and promote medical tourism in Nepal, Doolan added. “FHF will also support Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology's operations, organise more health camps and develop transparent financial system along with Human Resource system to corporatise the institute for its long term sustainability," he said, adding that the world is watching to replicate what the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology is doing.
"The institute has been slowly transforming itself into a new corporate level," said chairperson of the board of Nepal Eye Programme-Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology Suhrid Ghimire, on the occasion.
The agreement has been signed by Dr Ruit and Doolan on behalf of their respective organisations.