Embassy of Japan hands over medical equipment to Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital

The Embassy of Japan in Vietnam handed over 1 Quang Dong laser machine; 1 portable automatic refractometer and corneal curvature measuring machine to Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital. (Source: Embassy of Japan in Vietnam)

Attending the ceremony were Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki, Research Attaché of the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam Saito Masafumi, Vice Chairman of Ha Nam Provincial People's Committee Truong Xuan Dung, Deputy Director of Ha Nam Provincial Department of Health Phan Anh Phong and Deputy Director in charge of the hospital Le Thi Dinh.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki said this is an important milestone in enhancing the capacity of Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital.

“I hope that the medical equipment provided through this project will not only help prevent the condition of patients coming to Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital for examination and treatment, but also help the hospital's doctors conduct effective periodic health check-ups, detect refractive errors in children early, and create conditions for them to focus on their studies," Ambassador Ito Naoki shared.

Emphasizing that Ha Nam is a land with many people who are friendly to Japan, including those working at Japanese enterprises investing in the province, Ambassador Ito Naoki hopes that this project will contribute to further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Japan and Vietnam, and at the same time be a new beginning for cooperation between the two countries towards the future.

A doctor examines the eyes of students at Liem Chinh Secondary School in Phu Ly City using equipment donated by Japan. (Source: Embassy of Japan in Vietnam)

The project “Upgrading medical equipment for Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital” provides 1 laser retinal disease treatment device (green laser photocoagulation device) and 1 portable refraction measuring device that can be used outside the hospital with a total value of about 73,600 USD (equivalent to more than 1.7 billion VND).

The equipment is expected to help Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital diagnose and treat early about 200 patients each year who previously had to seek treatment in large cities at high costs, helping to prevent blindness and serious complications. At the same time, with the portable refraction device, the hospital can accurately diagnose and treat about 35,000 students each year during mobile screenings at schools in the province.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki listens to an explanation of the device. (Source: Embassy of Japan in Vietnam)

In Vietnam, the rate of blindness due to diabetic retinopathy complications increased eightfold between 2000 and 2015, due to the increasing number of people with diabetes. Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital is a regional eye care center, receiving about 20,000 patients each year, focusing on the examination and treatment of retinal diseases, especially diabetic retinopathy, which causes blindness or severe vision loss, and refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism), which account for about 20% of children nationwide.

The hospital conducts screening for all diabetic patients in the province and accepts new patients with severe symptoms. However, medical examination and treatment only stop at ultrasound and retinal imaging. Severe patients must be transferred to specialized hospitals in the city center for treatment, leading to high treatment costs.

For refractive errors, the hospital's professionally trained medical team conducts screening twice a year for 100,000 students (aged 6 to under 18) across the province, however, with the two portable devices available, the hospital cannot accurately screen all students, resulting in missing abnormal cases.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dai-su-quan-nhat-ban-ban-giao-thiet-bi-y-te-cho-benh-vien-mat-tinh-ha-nam-314352.html