Group photo with the National Eye Care Committee
In May 2025, Heart-to-Heart Foundation headquarter team conducted a field visit to officially launch the
“Strengthening the Primary Eye Health Project through Integrated People-Centered Approach in Dhaka District, Bangladesh”.
Bangladesh has the sixth-highest number of people with visual impairment in the world—approximately 164 million people as of 2020.
In addition to cataracts and refractive errors, vision loss from chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure is on the rise.
To address this, the Heart-to-Heart Foundation aims to:
1) Strengthen integrated eye health services within the primary health care system
2) Raise awareness of eye health among local communities
3) Expand early detection and treatment to reduce preventable blindness
During the visit, kick-off meetings were held with key government agencies, including the National Eye Care Committee (NEC),
Directorates General of Health Services (DGHS), and the Upazila Health Complexes (UHCs) in Savar and Dhamrai.
These meetings helped build a strong foundation for cooperation.
Meeting with NEC
The NEC (National Eye Care Committee), Bangladesh’s top eye health authority, agreed on long-term plans such as training eye center staff,
building a telemedicine system, and setting up a fast referral pathway for advanced care.
Group photo with the New Director of Dhaka DGHS
The Foundation also met the newly appointed Director of the Dhaka DGHS (Directorates General of Health Services),
which oversees local health services. During the meeting, the Foundation requested cooperation on expanding eye centers,
deploying trained eye health workers, and participating in project governance.
DGHS expressed strong support for the project’s goals and sustainability.
Meetings with the heads of Savar and Dhamrai UHC (Upazila Health Complex)
emphasized that the project would be led by the local health facilities—not solely by the Foundation.
This approach supports local ownership and long-term sustainability.
Partnership with EPZ Hospital
The Foundation also met with the director of the EPZ (Export Processing Zone) hospital
to plan special screening camps for factory workers who have limited access to eye care because of their working hours.
The hospital promised that they will work with the EPZ committee to select target factories and seek cooperation from factory management.
At the end of May, official MOUs were signed with the Dhaka DGHS and Dhamrai UHC after kick-off meetings during the field trip.
These agreements clearly define each party’s responsibilities and mark the official start of project implementation.
Heart-to-Heart Foundation will continue to work with the Government of Bangladesh
to strengthen integrated eye care services through the local health system.
Together, we aim to build a sustainable model of eye health for all.
Leave No One Behind in Eye Care!
Please stay tuned and continue supporting the Bangladesh Eye Health Project.
