Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh has partnered with non-government group 'Friendship', to provide eye treatment in the country's coastal areas.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two organisations at a ceremony held in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Chief executive officer (CEO) of SCB Naser Ezaz Bijoy and founder and executive director of Friendship Runa Khan signed the MoU titled 'Standard Chartered-Friendship Vision for Coastal People' on behalf of their respective sides.
Under this agreement, some 400 patients will receive cataract surgeries at free of costs in coastal areas including Kuakata, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, Chalna and Hatiya.
A floating hospital called Rongdhonu Friendship Hospital (RFH), operated by the non-government organisation, will provide the service by setting up five medical camps across the coastal areas.
Speaking on the occasion, Naser Ezaz said that the StanChart always extends its support to the marginal people by various means under its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
"As the oldest financial institution of Bangladesh, the SCB has been partnering the country's overall socio-economic growth through various programmes," he said.
The SCB boss also said his organisation had been providing free eye treatment in various countries through its 'Seeing is Believing' programme.
He thanked Friendship for taking the initiative to help restore eyesight for the underprivileged people.
In her speech, Runa Khan said the residents of the country's coastal area were deprived of healthcare facilities.
"After the attack of cyclone Sidr in 2007, I have learnt that the coastal people are terribly missing the health care services," she said.
She also said that the NGO is providing healthcare facilities through three floating hospitals in remote seaside regions of the country.
Of those, Rongdhonu Friendship Hospital has been operational since 2013. The ship-hospital serves 40,000 patients on an average each year.
Bitopi Das Chowdhury, the SCB's head of corporate affairs, and Dr Kazi Golam Rasul, Friend's head of health also attended the signing ceremony, among others.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
