Japan supports modern medical equipment for Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital

On May 13, at Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital (Phu Ly city, Ha Nam province), a handover ceremony of medical equipment under the grassroots non-refundable aid project "Upgrading medical equipment for Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital" was held, sponsored by the Government of Japan. The project contributes to enhancing the capacity for eye examination and treatment at the provincial level, especially in the prevention of blindness and screening for refractive errors in children.

The delivered equipment includes laser retinal treatment equipment (green laser photocoagulation) and portable refraction-keratology equipment, effectively supporting mobile examination activities outside the hospital.

Handover ceremony of medical equipment under the grassroots non-refundable aid project “Upgrading medical equipment for Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital”. (Photo: Embassy of Japan in Vietnam)

According to statistics from Ha Nam Provincial Eye Hospital, the unit receives about 20,000 patients each year, acting as a specialized ophthalmology center in the region. The hospital focuses on treating retinal diseases, especially diabetic retinopathy - the cause of blindness or severe vision loss - and refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, which affect about 20% of children nationwide.

In recent times, the hospital has screened all diabetic patients in the province and admitted new patients with severe symptoms. However, medical examination and treatment only stop at ultrasound and retinal imaging. Severe patients have to be transferred to central hospitals, causing costs and time for patients.

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

New equipment actively supports the examination and treatment process. (Photo: Embassy of Japan in Vietnam)

With the newly donated green laser photocoagulation device, the hospital can proactively treat about 200 retinal patients on-site each year, helping to reduce the risk of blindness and serious complications. At the same time, the portable refraction-corneal measuring device will improve mobile examination capacity, helping to accurately check the vision of about 35,000 students each year at schools in the province. Thereby, timely detecting and intervening in refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

Speaking at the ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki expressed his belief that the new medical equipment will contribute to improving the quality of diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases for local people, especially early detection of refractive errors in students during school health check-ups. He also affirmed that this is a practical step forward in strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan.

Ambassador Ito Naoki (second from right) inspects the vision screening for students using new equipment. (Photo: Embassy of Japan in Vietnam)

After the handover ceremony, Ambassador Ito Naoki visited Liem Chinh Secondary School (Phu Ly City) to inspect the vision screening activities for students. Here, he directly experienced the vision screening process using new equipment and interacted with students, thereby conveying a positive message about the importance of early vision care and protection.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/nhat-ban-ho-tro-thiet-bi-y-te-hien-dai-cho-benh-vien-mat-tinh-ha-nam-213490.html