Viet Nam Country Manager of the Fred Hollows Foundation Pham Quoc Anh (left) presents Standard Chartered Bank Viet Nam CEO Nirukt Sapru a picture in Ha Noi on January 22. — VNS Photo Ngoc Duy

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Standard Chartered Bank Viet Nam today announced the launch of two eye care projects to support about 2.2 million needy people in the country between 2016 and 2018.

"Sight for Children and Elderly People in the Mekong Delta" is worth US$1 million, and will be conducted in Can Tho and Ca Mau provinces.

The other project, named "Viet Nam Child Eye Care" with funds of $1.25 million, will be deployed in northern Hai Duong Province, central Da Nang City and southern Tien Giang Province.

The money was donated by the bank and its non-governmental organisation partners, including Orbis International, Helen Keller International, Eye Care Foundation and the Fred Hollows Foundation.

The projects are part of the bank's global programme that has tackled eye health issues for over 103 million people through medical interventions, education and improved access to eye health care since 2003.

At the launching ceremony, officials from the Ministries of Health and Education and Training noted that up to 35 per cent of 20 million students and pupils in Viet Nam are visually impaired. — VNS