Aided by friendly international organizations, the Tibet Autonomous
Region is making every effort to cure and prevent eye ailments that
threaten people's health on the plateau.
According to the information released at a symposium on dealing
with cataracts, held in Lhasa in late May, the first eye ailment
sample survey in Tibet conducted by the Department of Health of
Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet
Development Fund (TDF) and the Seva Foundation was completed
after a journey of 15,000 km (9,321 miles) lasting more than 100
days.
The survey covered 15,000 people from more than 70 villages of over
20 counties in the three prefectures of Shannan, Nagqu and
Nyingchi, which represent the farming, stockbreeding, and forestry
areas in Tibet.
Because of its high altitude, the Tibetan plateau has a high
incidence of eye ailments, especially cataracts, which plagues
380,000 people, 14.6 percent of the population.
During the course of the survey, the Tibet Development Fund invited
experts of the Seva Foundation, Nepal NEP Ophthalmology Project,
CBM-Germany, doctors and nurses from People's Hospital of the Tibet
Autonomous Region, Tibetan Medicine Hospital and the People's
Hospital of Lhasa to form a medical squad named the "Light
Project." It provided special free medical treatment, involving
artificial crystalloid transplant, to more than 700 people who
suffered from cataracts. To date, there are 12,000 people who
suffered blindness caused by cataract in Tibet can see again.
Ngapo Jigyuan, deputy secretary of Tibet Development Fund said the
eye ailments sample survey could help to design Tibet's future eye
health plan, fulfill the tasks of the state for prevention and cure
of blindness and also help sufferers living on the Tibetan plateau.
The survey was also designed to implement the proposal of the World
Health Organization known as "Vision 2020: Right to Sight."
(Xinhua News Agency, translated by Li Liangdu for china.org.cn on
June 14, 2002)