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Join IAPBIn a first of its type event,āÆthe International Labour Organization (ILO) partnered with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and Nepal Eye Hospital to conduct the first-ever workplace eye screening at the ILO’s Kathmandu office on May 8,āÆ2024.Ā
This landmark event follows the release of the ILO’s report,⯔Eye Health and the World of Work,” last year, which highlighted the alarming impact of poor vision on workers’ productivity and safety.āÆWith an estimated 3.5 million eye injuries occurring in workplaces annually,āÆthe report underscored the need for proactive eye health programs.Ā
Fifty-eight staff members and their families received comprehensive eye exams,āÆincluding visual acuity assessments, colour vision tests,āÆrefractions,āÆand retinal examinations.āÆThe screening uncovered a range of conditions,āÆfrom refractive errors to dry eye and even a case of glaucoma.āÆThanks to the generosity of the Nepal Eye Hospital,āÆtwenty pairs of presbyopia glasses were provided to support staff.Ā
The event was hailed a success by both the ILO and the IAPB.Ā
“It is so important to hold events like this for our colleagues’ own eye health and to create wider awareness,āÆand to undertake similar health promotion events within the ILO offices,” said Dr.āÆHayford Etteh,āÆILO Medical Adviser.Ā
Numan Ćzcan,āÆCountry Director of the ILO Country Office for Nepal,āÆechoed this sentiment,āÆdescribing the event as a “very successful exercise” and expressing his appreciation to the “professional and well-equipped team of doctors,āÆnurses, and support staff.”Ā
Jessica Thompson,āÆDirector of Advocacy,āÆPolicy,āÆand Strategy at IAPB,āÆemphasized the significance of the ILO report and the continued collaboration between the two organizations.⯔The ILO report was a wake-up call for the global community, highlighting the critical importance of eye health in the workplace,” she said.⯔We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with the ILO through this screening and our ongoing ‘Love Your Eyes at Work’ campaign.”Ā
Yuddha Sapkota,āÆHead of the Region ā South East Asia at IAPB,āÆexpressed his pride in hosting the first of these screenings in Nepal.⯔We are honoured to have partnered with the ILO and our esteemed member,āÆNepal Eye Hospital,āÆto bring this vital service to the workplace,” he said.⯔This is just the beginning of our efforts to ensure that everyone has access to the eye care they need to thrive in the workplace and beyond.”Ā
This initiative serves as a model for other organisations and countries to prioritise eye health in the workplace. By investing in preventative care and raising awareness of the importance of vision,āÆwe can create safer,āÆhealthier,āÆand more productive work environments for all.Ā
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