Orbis Int’l, AirAsia partner to expand eye care access across APAC

Dhaka: Global eye care nonprofit Orbis International and AirAsia Group have announced a multi-year partnership aimed at improving access to eye care and strengthening health systems across the Asia-Pacific region.

Under the agreement, AirAsia will provide USD 100,000 annually in airfare support for five years to help Orbis teams collaborate with hospitals, health ministries, training institutions, and eye care professionals across the region.

The partnership will support Orbis’s programs in countries including Bangladesh, China, India and Vietnam, where the organization works to improve access to quality eye care through training, technology, and local capacity building.

Orbis said the collaboration comes at a time when the region faces growing challenges in eye health due to population growth, increasing chronic diseases, shortages of skilled professionals and unequal access to services.

The initiative will support Orbis’s global programs, including its Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching facility on board an aircraft, as well as Cybersight, its telemedicine, and e-learning platform.

Kathleen Sherwin, President and CEO of Orbis International, said the partnership would help strengthen local eye care systems and expand access to training and technology.

AirAsia Group CEO Bo Lingam said the airline’s regional network would help bring eye care services, expertise and resources closer to communities in need.

The organizations said the partnership aims to create long-term impact by supporting sustainable eye health solutions across Asia-Pacific.