AEC in Myanmar
AEC visited Myanmar for the first time in January 2008, at the invitation of the Burmese government, to discuss the possibilities of collaboration. During this working visit, it was agreed upon that the AEC input would be directed to eye care and eye surgeries, ophthalmic training and improvement of ophthalmic facilities. For this, AEC collaborates with four hospitals in Yangon Division, namely the Insein General Hospital, the North Okkalapa General Hospital, the Thingankyun General Hospital and the Yangon General Hospital.
During 2009-2014, AEC teams visited these hospitals, provided eye care and performed 2,250 eye surgeries, in cooperation with Burmese ophthalmologists and nurses, on a yearly basis.
In addition, since 2010, AEC yearly organized so-called AEC postgraduate seminars at the Yangon Eye Hospital, for Burmese trainee ophthalmologists. These intensive trainings concentrated on important eye diseases and consist of lectures, workshops, clinical patient examination, group presentations and discussions. By now, 115 trainees have completed these seminars with an official certificate.
Also, AEC strengthens the eye clinics of the hospitals by donating, inter alia, microscopes, surgical instruments, materials and medicaments. Total value: USD 134,000.
In February 2014, an AEC team gave the training to a large group of Burmese doctors in Yangon. This time, the focus was on retina disorders, inflammations of the eye and HIV/AIDS. Moreover, the AEC team supported 250 cataract surgeries in the Thingankyun General Hospital in Yangon with ophthalmoscopes, instruments, artificial lenses, materials and medicaments. All (poor) patients were operated upon free of costs. This does not only mean that they can see their families and friends again, but also that they can earn their own income again!
AEC collaborates with Doctors Without Borders – Holland and has supported DWB with additional training in eye disorders caused by HIV.
AEC has been invited to continue this unique collaboration in 2015.