STORY: China's cataract eradication project restores eyesight for 3,891 patients in SE Cambodia
SHOOTING TIME: July 29, 2024
DATELINE: July 30, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:06
LOCATION: Phnom Penh
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. Chinese doctors providing eye check-up and cataract surgery in Prey Veng province (file)
2. various of the completion ceremony
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): OPHTHALMOLOGIST SO SOPANHAVATEI, Director of Prey Veng Provincial Referral Hospital
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): DIM PHON, Patient from Prey Veng province

STORYLINE:

China's GX Foundation-backed Cataract Blindness Elimination Project for southeast Cambodia's Prey Veng province concluded on Monday, helping restore eyesight for 3,891 cataract patients.

Hun Many, Cambodian deputy prime minister and civil service minister, and Leung Chun-ying, chairman of GX Foundation, attended the project completion ceremony held in Phnom Penh.

In addressing the event, Many spoke highly of the Cambodia-China cooperation in providing eye check-ups, treatment and free surgery to all cataract patients in Prey Veng province since December 2022.

"This project had successfully regained vision for a total of 3,891 cataract patients as well as provided eye check-ups to some 7,600 people," he said.

Leung said through the 18-month project, the GX Foundation and the Health Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region had organized eight batches of 63 medical personnel to complete 3,891 free cataract surgeries in Prey Veng province.

Cambodian Health Minister Chheang Ra said the project in Prey Veng was the second of its kind in the country. The first one ended in 2019, restoring eyesight for more than 6,000 cataract patients in Kampong Cham province.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): OPHTHALMOLOGIST SO SOPANHAVATEI, Director of Prey Veng Provincial Referral Hospital
"This project had helped restore eyesight for cataract patients. After they received free cataract removal service, they have not only regained their vision but also returned to their jobs and lived with their families happily."
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): DIM PHON, Patient from Prey Veng province
"Now, I have my vision restored, I feel very happy. There is nothing makes me happier than this."

In the Southeast Asian country, cataract is the main cause of blindness. According to a national estimate, about 0.32 percent of the country's 17 million population suffer from cataracts.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Phnom Penh.
(XHTV)