SENIOR WORLD SIGHT DAY 2019
EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF “VISION FIRST” FOR SENIORS
Kuala Lumpur, 25 October 2019 – World Sight Day is intended to bring global attention to blindness and vision impairment. Statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that the number of people across all age groups who are visually impaired is estimated to be 285 million, of whom 39 million are blind.
The elderly are among the most impacted, as approximately 82% of the world’s vision impaired are made up of individuals are aged 50 or older.
In Malaysia alone, the nation is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of senior citizens as our population today have a longer life expectancy. Research has indicated that the Malaysian population is estimated to reach up to 33.7 million in 2020 whereby 3.8 million (11.8%) of the total population is elderly.
With this in mind, KPJ Centre for Sight (CFS) and Tawakkal Healthcare Centre (THC), held the first ever ‘Senior World Sight Day’ today, with the theme “Vision First”.The event held many activities specially designed to educate the public about age-related illnesses that effect eyesight as they advance in years. One of these activities was a meet and greet session with the seniors at the Seniors’ Living Home of KPJ Tawakkal Healthcare Centre.
The event also included a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme providing free cataract surgeries for 30 underprivileged elderly patients from the four seniors’ homes namely; Rumah Caring Kajang, Rumah Victory, Pusat Jagaan Warga Emas Murni Kaseh and Pusat Jagaan Mamudah Malaysia. .Funds for these surgeries jointly provided by KPJ Centre For Sight (CFS) and KPJ Healthcare Berhad.In conjunction of the event, KPJ Tawakkal Healthcare Centre is donating some fund for medical aid to Asrama Cahaya Rumah Wanita Cacatas it promote its awareness of Caring for the Seniors.
CFS had also collaborate with Q Optometry in giving away of free sun glasses to 30 elderly who underwent cataract surgeries.
A total of eighty guests were present at the event including from representatives and residents of Rumah Caring Kajang, Rumah Victory, Pusat Jagaan Warga Emas Murni Kaseh , Pusat Jagaan Mamudah Malaysia and Asrama Cahaya Rumah Wanita Cacat.
This Senior World Sight Day was officiated by Yang Berhormat, Puan Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development. Also present at the event were YBhg Dato’Amirrudin Abdul Satar, President & Managing Director, KPJ Healthcare Bhd; Datin Fauziah Jamaluddin, Chairman of KPJ CFS; Tuan Haji Ahmad Nasirruddin Harun, Executive Director of KPJ CFS and Dr Norazlina Bachik Ng, KPJ CFS’ Clinical Director and Dato Mohammad Farid, Executive Director of KPJ Tawakkal Health Centre.
Tuan Haji Ahmad Nasirruddin explained, “Senior World Sight Day campaign is created to raise the awareness among many elderly people who are blind or have impaired vision impacted by cataract. It is significant for KPJ – through the KPJ Centre For Sight – to help them regain their full and active lives. We also aim to increase public awareness, by reaching out to wider spectrum of the population, including their families.Both factors drive our efforts to help needy elderly patients under our CSR program since year 2006, where we have provided more than 300 free cataract surgeries to elderly patients.”
Dr. Norazlina, also an ophthalmologist, said “We want to actively educate and empower patients in the fight against vision impairment and avoidable blindness. Many patients tend to delay their treatments due to lack of awareness of the symptoms and financial difficulties. Hence, KPJ CFS is able to assist patients in this situation so that they can safeguard their sight to reduce the adverse impact of avoidable blindness.”