Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono on Friday said the collaboration with the Noor Dubai Foundation of the United Arab Emirates represents a concrete government step to ensure that individuals do not lose productive opportunities because of treatable vision problems.
"Through this surgery, we hope patients can see the world clearly again. This is a simple hope of restoring a better quality of life for our community," Harbuwono remarked.
According to him, this partnership is part of an ongoing commitment initiated in 2025, where such a collaboration will continue for various other eye health programs in the future.
He also said the government aims to broaden healthcare access using remote consultation technology, enabling people in remote areas to obtain fast specialist examinations connected to central hospitals.
Harbuwono emphasized that strengthening these services is crucial, given that national data shows that at least 48 percent of the 21 million residents who have undergone health screening, 6 percent of whom have vision problems requiring further treatment.
Regarding this activity, he explained that the operation was carried out with meticulous procedures to ensure patient safety through a two-stage, rigorous examination.
"Initially, health workers, along with field cadres, screened residents with vision complaints," he said.
After that, a team of specialist doctors from the Indonesian Ophthalmologist Association (PERDAMI) conducted a thorough examination, from blood sugar checks to eye measurements to determine the most appropriate implant lens.
Kapuas District in Central Kalimantan was chosen as one of the primary locations for the operation due to geographical challenges and limited access to specialist doctors.
This community service program is centered at the Vision Center Kapuas, an eye health facility that has been serving the community since July 2023.
"To date, this assistance program has successfully reached 200 patients in Central Kalimantan, and 150 patients each in West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara, as part of the government's efforts to achieve the national target of vision restoration for all levels of society," Harbuwono noted.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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